The Reason for Fighting
by Sakura onto Hitomi
Summary: It’s always the same. Every night he saw her face. It was something he could never forget. She was the reason he was fighting. Whoever took her would pay. ON HOLD
1. Chapter 1

~*~Hi! I'm new to the whole Yu Yu Hakusho fanfic writing. I just started watching it not too long ago, so probably 99% of this is wrong or way OOC. Sorry in advance to all you die-hard fans, but this idea has been stuck in my head for awhile. Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing save my own characters. This is the only time I'm posting this so deal.~*~

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It's always the same. Every night he saw her face. It was something he could never forget. She was the reason he was fighting. Whoever took her would pay. They drove him to fighting when he didn't really want to. That was the old him. He just wanted to live in peace.

Every night, he lay in his bed and dream of her. Her deep brown hair as it flowed with the breeze each day. How he longed to touch it once more. Her beautiful violet eyes as they gazed into his, it was as if she could see into his very soul. She knew what he was and didn't care. Destined to be enemies, they found something else. 

It was the same every night. They would meet out on the hill-their hill- and sit together, away from everything and just talk. He loved hearing her sweet voice. Life was good then. He had never known life could ever be good, not with the one he lead. But here he was, sitting beside someone who should be an enemy, talking calmly. He held no fear nor anxiety of what was to come. All that mattered was the here and now. 

He had never known love before and never expected it with this woman beside him. He had no idea if she felt the same for he, though he hated to admit it, was afraid she wouldn't feel the same. For now, he was content to sit beside her, to love her without ever telling. 

The dream ended the same as always. The beautiful moment was cut short. She was taken away from him. He had returned to the home she lived in to find it destroyed, her kidnapped. It was always the same. Always the same. He got down on his knees and wept for pure pain. This strong man got down and wept for he lost the one that meant the most to him in the world.

The boy woke up from this dream of his and covered his eyes. He had nothing to say except this one name, "Naomi."

~*~I know it's short for the first chapter but it will pick up speed in the second one. I wonder who this guy is… Hmmm… Oh wait, I already know. Do you? Take a guess. Review!!!! Pretty Please?~*~ 


	2. Chapter 2

~*~Damn! It's been awhile since I started a fanfic. Let's see how it goes. I know where I want to go with this, but the beginning is hard.~*~

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"Damn it, Kurama, what's up with you lately?"

The said boy looked up at the speaker in the green school uniform. "Sorry Yusuke. I was thinking about something from earlier today."

"Well, snap out of it! We're supposed to go on a new mission today. That is as soon as Botan shows up. Must be fixing her hair or something."

"I heard that, Yusuke. Now shut up so I can deliver this message." The woman with sky blue hair walked up to the group of four boys with a serious look on her face. Hiei and Kuwabara were having some verbal fighting match, which or course Hiei was winning, while Yusuke was waking Kurama out of his little coma. They'd been a team for awhile now and everything was going great. Yusuke and Keiko officially became a couple and there hadn't been any problems that needed their attention lately… until now.

"So, what's up Botan?"

She walked up to them and had a grave look on her face. "You need to go on a special assignment for awhile. It may take as long as a year, maybe more. There has been word sent that there is a demon on Himura Island that's attempting to take over the world. I know it sounds like a walk in the park, but he's inviting challenger to fight over who faces him. Some have left already and haven't returned. Only one has survived, barely. I talked with him through his dreams. He's actually in a coma, but remembers everything clearly."

Hiei interrupted. "Himura Island? That's been deserted for years. I had heard rumors of a powerful demon there though. He apparently has a secret weapon working for him that prevents anyone from facing him directly."

Botan nodded. "That's why they decided to send you guys to investigate. On the island is actually a village though. They are regular humans who live there in peace and don't get involved with anything else on the island. Koenma thinks they are actually just innocent people who the demon kidnapped."

"What makes you think that, Botan?"

"Well, Yusuke, the person who survived said so. All the people wear some kind of bracelet that prevents them from going against him. One strange think he said though…"

"What is it?" Kuwabara had to say something. Besides Kurama, he was the only one to not voice anything. 

"Well, he mentioned he thought he saw a miko there."

Kurama's head shot up. "A miko?" When Botan nodded, he pressed on. "Did he give a name or a description?"

"Let me think. He did mention she had the most beautiful violet eyes he had ever seen. Why do you ask, Kurama?"

As they all turned to him, they were all surprised to see a look of pure hatred show. "I know who the demon is. If this miko is who I think she is, then I definitely know the demon's name."

"Well, who is it?"

"He is a horrid demon I've been tracking down since my past life. His name is Natas."

"What else can you tell us about him? Even I haven't heard of this demon." Hiei didn't like the fact someone knew something he didn't. Not at all.

"Sadly, I can't tell you much. What I can say is this. **_I_ shall be the one to kill him. The final match will be me against him. Botan, tell me how to get to this island."**

Yusuke looked over Kurama. 'Why is he so pissed off at this Natas? Must be an old enemy of his. A miko with violet eyes? What would he care about that? There's something he's not telling us.'

Botan handed him and the others a map. "You leave in the morning. I'll meet you at the docks at dawn."

"Good. I'll see you all then." Kurama turned and left for his home, leaving the others to look as he just left. 'That's not like him.'

As our red haired friend was walking, his thoughts returned to a certain time when he visited a shrine.

_~Flashback~_

_He could still remember his mother's words. "Trust me, Shuuichi. You need to go to this shrine for awhile. I promise you'll be alright at my friend's home. Her name is Sóra."_

_Climbing the mass amounts of steps, Kurama finally saw the shrine itself. 'Finally. I thought I'd never get here.' For some reason, the place looked so familiar, but he could not figure out why. Shrugging it off, he continued to walk up the steps until he came to the top. He proceeded to head to the door of the shrine._

_"Hey! You there! May I help you?"_

_Kurama turned to see a woman with dark brown hair and blue eyes looking at him. She was in casual clothing and holding grocery bags in her hands. He walked over to her. "The question is, really, may I help you carry those?"_

_The woman smiled gratefully and handed him a bag. "You must be Shuuichi. Come on in. I didn't think you'd get here until tomorrow. Your mother said you were a very polite young man."_

_"Then you must be-"_

_"Just call me Sóra. No formal stuff here. Thank you." She took the bag from him and set in on the counter. Apparently they had gone inside the house. "Come with me please. I'll show you to your room."_

_"Thank you very much. And please, call me Kurama." He followed her up the stairs and into a dark room that had the curtains closed. The room was small, but had room for a dresser, bed, desk and a bookshelf.  "Make yourself at home."_

_Kurama put down his brown bag and looked around the room. _

_"Dinner is at __7:30__. I'll let you get adjusted. Call if you need anything."_

_"Arigatou." Sóra smiled and left the room, closing the door behind her._

_Kurama had decided to look around the property itself, so he opened the door, went down the stairs and out the back door. There he was greeted with an open area and then a forest. 'It looks as if the shrine has been around for a long time. But why does it look so familiar?'_

_"Watch out!"_

_Kurama turned in time to see an arrow flying right at him. He easily dodged it and looked to see where it had come from. A small boy with dark brown hair and blue eyes looked at him. "You idiot! Look to see where you're going! You could have been killed!"_

_Kurama looked behind him to see the arrow hit the very center of the bull's eye. 'Target practice.' He turned back to the boy. "My apologies. I didn't realize. Very nice shot though."_

_"It wasn't mine. It was hers." Kurama looked up and froze. There off a few yards away stood a woman with dark brown hair and the most beautiful violet eyes he had ever seen. She was dressed in a strange outfit though. _

_"That's Naomi. She's a miko."_

_The woman looked Kurama in the eye and stepped back with a bit of fear in her eyes. 'I wonder why she stepped back.' He walked towards her and saw her reach slowly for an arrow. He sent her a questioning look._

_Naomi stood there, hand ready to grab the arrow when necessary. She whispered to the man with red hair before her, "I can tell. Part of you is a demon. A fox demon." She knew he had heard her when he stopped advancing and stared at her wide eyed. This was definitely going to be an interesting trip._

_~End Flashback~_

Kurama shook his head and realized he had actually reached his home. He turned and saw the sunset, it's colors spreading across the sky. 'Naomi, have I found you at last?'

~*~Well? What do you think? I'd really love some reviews. If I don't get any, I'll just post this on the other site instead. Oh, and for those who don't know… Arigatou=thank you and a miko is a priestess.

**_PLEASE REVIEW MY STORY!!!!!!! PRETTY PLEASE?!?!?!?_**~*~


	3. Chapter 3

~*~Okay, for those people who gave me the total of 4 reviews, YOU GUYS ROCK!!!! As for the rest of you… ::sticks tongue out:: Meanies!

Oh, and for that last chapter: Miko= priestess… they have spiritual powers. I'm going to be throwing some more Japanese phrases in there so feel free to ask what they mean, but I usually will put their meanings at the bottom. And to _animerocker_ : I was on fanfiction.net before under the pen name "Snooptopian", but due to some "misunderstandings" I had to make a new account and repost everything. That's why this story looks familiar. Sorry. Oh and to all, the chapter definitely will get longer. Read please!~*~

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He had been wounded somehow. How had it happened? He had just been walking when those hunters attacked him. Their weapons were nothing special. Just some swords and spears, maybe some bow and arrows. How could they have injured him this badly? Must have been their numbers. 

That didn't matter. He had won and gotten away. What a life he had. They always attacked as soon as they knew. The hair must have been a give away. Not many had hair like his, well, human anyway.

He kept walking deep into the forest, hoping to be covered by the darkness and trees. When he was pretty sure he was far enough away, he fell against a tree and closed his eyes. His body needed to heal quickly. The pain was enormous. How had mere hunters done this? It didn't make sense.  

A snapped twig caused him to listen instead of think on this. Someone was coming. His eyelids were very heavy as he pushed them open. There in front of him was a young woman with brown hair and violet eyes, eyes that were filled with worry. Without a word, he felt her hand on his chest wound. Blood. He could smell his own blood on her hand. Damn it. He must have been careless. How else could they have done so much damage? This never happened before. That was the last time he would let a sweet smell intoxicate him.

Before he could do anything, darkness overcame him.

He awoke later inside a room, lying on a futon. He pushed the blanket back and moved to get up. 

"Don't move yet. The wound hasn't fully healed. You'll ruin the work I did."

He turned to the sound of the voice. His eyes fell upon the woman from before. Her violet eyes were gazing straight into his golden brown ones. "If you were smart, you would have left me there to die."

"Well, then I must be dumb for as you can see I didn't. Your wound was pretty bad, so I fixed it up for you. Don't move too much or it will open again."

He knew she was right, though he hated to admit it. He reluctantly settled back down into the futon and laid still, eyelids tempting to close again. Once again, he saw her violet eyes. She was looking over the other wounds he had received. 

"Why did you help me, human?"

"Because you were hurt."

His face held a look of confusion. He could feel some energy from her, not that of a regular human. That was when he noticed her clothing. Right away he knew what she was. 'A miko. Why didn't she just kill me then?' He looked her over as she worked on placing new, fresh bandages in place of the blood filled old ones. "Why didn't you kill me when you had the chance, miko?"

A small smile played on her lips. "So you finally noticed. You were causing no harm. There was no reason to kill you."

"How do you know I won't kill you when I am healed?"

"I don't." She got up and went to the opposite side of the room. Was she retreating? No, she came back with something in her hands. "You have to eat to keep up your strength. Here. It's not exactly the best soup but it will help gain your strength back quicker. And I have water as well." 

She held a spoon full of the soup up to his lips. When he didn't open them, she frowned a bit. "If you don't eat, you will get weaker faster. Then how will you kill me? You won't be strong enough to even get out of this futon."

'This girl…' He looked at the spoon. "How do I know you didn't poison this?"

"You don't. You'll either have to trust me and eat it, or not trust me and die from lack of food. You're choice."

After raising an eyebrow at her, he sniffed the soup and after deeming it alright, he parted his lips as she fed him the soup. After a few seconds she smiled. "See? That wasn't so bad, now was it?"

He eyed the rest of the soup. It was in fact very good. She must have seen for she dipped the spoon into the bowl again and continued to feed him the rest of the contents.

As she got up to leave to put the bowl away, he asked her, "What is your name, miko?"

She turned her head and looked him in the eye, her violet eyes clashing with his golden brown ones. "My name is Naomi. What are you called, fox demon?"

"Kurama."

She smiled. "It fits you nicely. You should get some sleep. You need not worry. I'll be back to check on you."

"Where am I?"

"You are at the shrine where I live and keep. You are safe here as long as I permit you safe passage here. Now just rest. I will be back to check on you. Promise." With that she left the room.

He lay there letting his mind wander. This girl intrigued him. Maybe he wouldn't kill her right away. With that, he went into a nice, comfortable sleep.

~*~How was that? I'd love more reviews for this, but if you don't like it, I understand. Ja ne!~*~


	4. Chapter 4

~*~Chapter #4 coming up… Oh, and if you didn't notice, Natas is just Satan spelled back words. ~*~

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Kurama awake early the next morning. The sun has just risen and started to shine into his room. He sighed and threw off the covers, got up and started to pack. 'I shouldn't need that much. Please wait for me. I'll be there soon.'

His mind started to wander back to that time at the shrine. He could definitely remember it was exactly a year after the Dark Tournament. That had been three years ago and his life was getting set until that day.

_~Flashback~_

_Kurama was startled when he heard what this woman had said. "My name is Shuuichi, though I prefer to be called Kurama. It is very nice to meet you."_

_The boy ran up to him. "I'm Haku. So you're the guy mom said was sticking around for the summer? Cool. I had no idea you were a demon. Wait until I tell the guys!"_

_"Haku, hush now!__ Do not speak a word of this to anyone." The boys looked at her, one with a look of anger and confusion and one of just pure confusion. As if reading their minds, she continued. "If people knew there was a demon, they would get panicked and try to chase him out. Shuuichi came here to relax, not be bothered. Respect his privacy and safety by not telling anyone. You can keep a secret, can't you?"_

_Haku nodded. "Oh all right. I'm gonna go see if mom needs any help." The boy ran off towards the house, leaving the demon and the miko alone._

_"Thank you. I wouldn't know what to do if people found out and I got chased out." _

_Naomi took another step back. "Don't mention it.  Besides, they'd all come yelling at me to get rid of you. I don't like to work when I don't have to."_

_Kurama nodded. He understood completely. "Being a miko means having to deal with demons and heal people as well as protect them. It must be a great deal of work."_

_Naomi took her stance and prepared herself for more target practice. "Well, someone has to do it." She pulled back, aimed and released. A perfect bull's eye. _

_"Nice shot." Kurama looked at her as she prepared herself for another shot. "You have no need to fear me. I mean no harm to you or this place."_

_"That's what they all say." She released her next arrow and turned to him after it hit the bull's eye once again. "I'm sorry, but have we met before?"_

_The thought swam inside Kurama's head. "I'm not too sure."_

_She shook her head and picked up her arrows. As she went to put her things away, she turned back to him. "I hope you enjoy your stay here. Maybe we could talk more later. I'd like to know if you are threat or not for myself."_

_Kurama nodded. "As you wish, young miko. And please, call me Kurama."_

_"Only if you call me Naomi."__ She smiled at him which stirred up a weird emotion inside him. _

_"Agreed."__ She nodded and went to put her things away. Kurama went inside the house to see if there was anything Sóra needed him to do._

_"I see you've met Naomi already."_

_"Yes I have. Is there anything you need help with?"_

_"Not at all.__ Thank you though." Sóra paused and then shook her head. "It's such a shame. She's my friend's daughter actually. Her parents were killed and she was entrusted to me. This is her shrine. She grew up here and wouldn't leave. We were looking for a place to live so it worked out nicely. Not that her parents' murder was nice. You know what I mean."_

_"What do you mean murdered?"_

_A sigh escaped the woman's lips. "Naomi grew up here and was trained as a miko. Her mother was raised as a demon exterminator and her father a keeper of this shrine. They were said to be the best at protecting the town from demons and could easily exterminate them with one shot of their arrows or various other weapons. This made them hated by all demons. One day, they some how got around their defenses and were murdered in front of her eyes. For some reason, they didn't harm Naomi. Maybe they didn't see her as a threat. Now she is determined to become the best miko she can and to prevent that from happening to anyone else."_

_This information was slowly processed by Kurama. 'So that's why at first she stepped back. To see your parents murdered like that… how truly horrible.'_

_"Hush now. Here she comes. Speak nothing of this, please."_

_"Hai."___

_The door opened and Naomi walked in. She did not speak as she went upstairs. She came back a few moments later in more casual clothing and sat at the table, Haku close behind._

_"All right.__ Dinner time. Please sit here Kurama and enjoy." His seat was right across from Naomi. As they ate, her eyes were always down and she was silent._

_From that moment on, he made a mental note to learn all he could about this girl._

_~End Flashback~_

Soon, he was at the door with his human mother. "Good bye mother."

"Take care Shuuichi. Keep safe."

"I'll try." He then exited and headed toward the docks to meet the others. He got there in no time and, as he expected, Hiei was the only one there.

"Good morning Hiei."

He looked over at Kurama with his usual face. "What are you hiding Kurama? You seem very interested in this miko. Why?"

Kurama stopped walking and looked down. "Do not ask me that yet. I have my reasons."

"A miko is a sworn enemy of a demon, even you are included in that."

He shook his head. "You wouldn't understand Hiei. I have to get her out of there."

Hiei narrowed his eyes. "Why? It's just a miko."

"Back off Hiei!" Even Hiei was surprised at this burst of anger from Kurama. 'What is he hiding?'

Kurama took a breath and calmed down. "I'm sorry, but it's just something you wouldn't understand." With that, he leaned against the railing with his arms crossed in front of his chest. This discussion was over.

Soon, the two humans and the blue haired woman showed up and they were on their way to the island.

'Natas. I will not stop until I have killed you myself.'

~*~Come on! Please note? Pretty pretty please??? Just a thought, the chapters will get longer and I have a bunch of them… Seriously… Ja ne!~*~


	5. Chapter 5

~*~ Yay! Now it's time for chapter 5. Warning, I've had a lot of caffeine. ~*~

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He had been there a week now. Why he stayed he didn't really know. With each new day, the miko Naomi would come and check on him. His wounds were gone after a day though, so he should have just taken off. Something made him stay. This miko intrigued him somehow. 'She wasn't afraid of me. The others were. Why isn't she?'

Currently he was leaning against a tree in the yard, watching her sweep the steps. He had decided to study her and see what could possess her to help an enemy. 'I can't understand it. She seems like a regular human. She should be afraid and chase me away. This does not make sense.'

"Kurama?"

He looked up and noticed she had stopped sweeping and was looking directly at him. "Is there something wrong, Kurama? You look very deep in thought."

He didn't answer but stare in her direction. It was actually more like a glare. A breeze came in suddenly and blew his white hair to the side as her brown hair flowed in the direction the wind took it. He looked away, but out of the corner of his eye saw her smile. 'Stupid human. Why is she smiling?'

He saw her stop her sweeping and head towards him. "I'll be in the back practicing. You can either wait here and tell me if anyone needs my help or come and watch. It's up to you." She continued her walk towards the back.

Without looking at her, he smirked. "What makes you think I won't just kill you while you're back there? No one would see."

Without looking back or stopping, she replied. "If you were going to do that, I don't think you'd tell me." She continued to walk to her destination.

He looked up and watched her as she walked away. 'This girl… what is it about her that's so different?' Shrugging, he made his way over to where she was practicing something. When he arrived, he saw her standing in some sort of stance. He then noticed the bow in her hand. 'She must have already fired the arrow.' He looked and was surprised to see an arrow at the very center of the bull's eye.

"What do you think?"

He shrugged. "Nice shot." He noticed she smiled again. 'Why the heck is she smiling?'

She drew another arrow and aimed. As she released, she said, "I've been practicing for years. If I'm off by the slightest bit, it could cost me my life. Though I am alright at the stationary target, I don't get much practice with a moving target."

His attention shifted. 'There's a demon nearby.' He saw her straighten as well. 'She must sense it's presences as well.' He walked towards the area he felt the demon was. "Stay here. I'll look."

He headed into the forest and traveled until he saw the demon. It was hunched over and looked ready to attack. In front of it was a small child. The human girl looked up with terrified eyes at her attacker. 

"Hold it right there!" He turned to see the miko aim her arrow at the demon. The look in her eyes was challenging and one of great confidence. There was no fear to be detected on her. 

The demon looked at her. "A miko? Feh, it will boost my rep if I kill you. Prepare to die!" The demon lunged at her at great speed. 

He looked on with horror and made moves to run over, but it would have been in vain. She had released her arrow, a great light surrounded it. 'A purification arrow?' It hit the demon and it cried out in pain as it disintegrated into ash.

He looked at her with eyes wide. He had no idea she could do that! She walked over to the child and spoke softly to it. 

"Are you alright? Let me check for any wounds."

The teary eyed child nodded and pointed to her leg. It was bleeding, but not too badly. Naomi smiled. "What a brave little girl. Don't worry. This isn't too serious. You were very lucky. Just remember to be very careful in the forest, alright?" The girl nodded and Naomi told her to head on home. 

She got up and faced him. "You are surprised? Why else wouldn't I be afraid of you? I have ways of protecting myself. Besides, after today, I do not think you will harm me."

"And why's that?"

"Because I saw you start to move to protect me."

They stared at each other for a moment before she turned and headed back to the shrine. He followed her, deep in thought. 'Why did I do that?'

The sky was turning dark by the time they got back. Instead of heading inside, the miko turned and went towards the back again. Curious, he followed. She suddenly stopped after awhile and sat on a grassy hill that overlooked the village below. "Come sit with me?"

He didn't know why, but he did as she asked. She looked up at the night sky. "Tell me. What drives you each day?" When he did not answer, she continued. "I mean, what force pushes you to do what you do each day?"

Never had such a question be asked of him. After some thinking, he replied. "Survival."

She nodded, apparently understanding. "I keep going because of my family."

Curiosity got the better of him. "What happened to them?"

Sadness filled her eyes. "They were killed by an evil demon. I saw him do it too. I only survived because another demon found me and ran off with me in her arms. She protected me. I later returned and buried my family with her help and trained myself the best I could to become a true miko. My mother was one and my father a demon exterminator. That is why I don't fear demons and why I helped you. I know from my parents how to defeat them, but I learned from that one demon that not all are evil."

In that one moment, he knew a lot more about her, even from the things she did not say. "Who was this demon that attacked your family?"

"I remember another demon by his side called him Natas. I hadn't heard of him before, nor have I heard anything since."

'Natas? The name sounds familiar, but from where?' He shook his head and stood up. "Come. It's late and the demons could easily attack."

She smiled and looked up at him. "Why do you care whether they get me or not?"

"I shall be the one to kill you when I decided. No other demon shall get the chance."

"I see. So until you decided to kill me, you'll make sure nothing else gets to." She got up and faced him. "I understand."

As they walked back to the shrine, she spoke one last thing. "I find you as one of the good kind."

He turned to her. "Don't be foolish. All demons are bad. Some just have good moments."

"Nonetheless, I see you as good."

They walked the rest of the way in silence.

~*~Reviews sooooooo welcomed! Any comments or questions, click that little button down there. Ja ne! ~*~


	6. Chapter 6

~*~Okay, sorry it took so long to update. For all of those reviewers, you all rock! Anywho, on with chapter 6. Any questions, just review and I'll answer them in the next chapter. ~*~

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The sea was kind to the five travelers. Calm waters thus far. Day one was almost done on their new mission. It would take about a week to get to the island itself. Yusuke and Kuwabara were yelling at each other for some reason while Hiei went off by himself. 

Botan was coming onto the top deck when she spotted Kurama. He was leaning on the railing looking out into the water. 'He seems distracted, almost sad. I wonder…' The blue haired woman walked over to him and placed her arms on the railing as well. "Are you okay Kurama?"

The red haired demon continued to stare out into the water's depth. "I'm fine."

Genuinely concerned, Botan pressed on. "Are you sure? You don't seem like yourself."

"Botan, what else can you tell me about the mission?"

Sighing, Botan thought for a minute. "According to the survivor, the newcomers are considered guests. They stay at the Inn in that town until it is their time to battle. The demon prefers group battles though, kind of like the Dark Tournament."

"What can you tell me about Natas?"

"Well, not much. We have little to no record of him. Koenma thought that was due to the fact he hasn't done anything until now."

Kurama slammed his fist into the railing. "That's not true!" Seeing Botan's wide eyes, he tried to regain his composure. "I'm sorry. Forgive my out burst. I just need to be alone to think."

She nodded and turned to leave. "You know, Kurama.  If you told us what was going on, we would all be able to help you. We would know why you are fighting so hard. Maybe then you wouldn't be alone in your fight." Botan began to head to the lower deck, leaving Kurama to his thoughts.

He looked up in the sky. "She's the reason I'm fighting. She's always been my reason."

"And who is this she?"

Kurama turned to see Hiei standing there glaring at him. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough. What's going on Kurama? Who's this she?"

"I told you before not to ask me that."

Hiei didn't like that answer. "Kurama, tell me. There has to be a reason why you are fighting." A thought struck the shorter demon. "It's the miko, isn't it? You know her."

Kurama was starting to get very angry. "Hiei, just back off."

"So it is her. You do know the miko. You're risking your life for a piece of filth like that?"

Wrong thing to say. Kurama lifted Hiei up by the collar and slammed him into the railing with so much speed and force, Hiei didn't even see it coming! With a growl, Kurama put his face close to Hiei's. "Never, EVER call her that."

Although surprised, Hiei grinned. 'So, that's your story. I understand now.' "Alright Kurama." Ever so slowly, Kurama released him and backed away. 

"Leave me in peace, Hiei." He turned and stared out into the waters again while the other demon walked away. 'So Kurama has feelings for this girl. I'd call him a traitor but there has to be something different with her. I'll just have to find out for myself.'

Meanwhile, two human heads and a blue haired woman were listening in to what had happened. "So there's something between him and the miko." Yusuke thought about this. 'I understand Kurama. I'd do the same thing if something happened to Keiko. I'll help all I can.'

Kurama covered his eyes with his hand. 'Botan's right. I'm not acting like myself. They probably all know now.' He then directed his gaze to the sky. 'Naomi…'

_~Flashback~_

_Kurama had been staying at the shrine for a week now and he couldn't even get close to Naomi. Every time he tried, she'd run off and go do some miko business. 'If I didn't know better, I'd say she was avoiding me.' With a grin on his face, he came up with a plan as to when to be able to talk with her._

_That night, Naomi was walking up the steps when she looked up and saw Kurama standing there. "What are you doing up? It's almost __midnight__."_

_"I've been waiting to speak with you."_

_She shook her head and tried to get around him. "It's late."_

_He stood in front of her path. "Why are you avoiding me?"_

_The young miko looked him straight in the eye. "What are you talking about?"_

_"You mentioned you wanted to speak with me at some point. Every time I trying talking with you, you always walk away with some excuse."_

_Her eyes narrowed. "I've been busy."_

_"Well, you aren't now."_

_The miko sighed. "Fine. Where would you like to talk?"_

_Kurama smiled and looked around. "Where would you suggest? I don't want to disturb the others."_

_Looking around the area, Naomi thought a moment. "I know this hill I go to in order to clear my mind. It's not too far away. Follow me."_

_He nodded and followed the girl in front of him. She was in the traditional miko attire with her hair tied back as well. Her bow and arrows were with her in case of danger. As promised, the hill wasn't that far away. Kurama was taken aback by the view. Below him was the forest, lush and beautiful, and past that was the town. _

_"I can see why you like coming here. It's truly beautiful." He turned to see her sitting on the grass waiting for him to sit as well. He walked over and sat down beside her._

_"So what did you want to talk about?"_

_"I wanted to know more about you. Why don't you tell me about yourself?"_

_Naomi shook her head. "All you need to know is I'm a miko. You know, sworn enemy of all demons."_

_Kurama sighed. "That's just what you are, you're role. I'm asking who you are."_

_The girl blinked at him. "Well, I've lived here my entire life. My parents were… killed by a demon when I was younger and I have been living with Sóra and Haku since then. I have been training as a miko since I was able to walk. I like it. I like being able to help and protect people. They trust me. I even get to perform marriage ceremonies if they wish. It a great honor."_

_The demon smiled. "Now that wasn't too bad, was it?"_

_"Well what about you? What's your story?"_

_After thinking about it, Kurama finally spoke. "In my past life, I was a fox demon. A very powerful one. I was attacked and to save my life, I entered the womb of a human woman. I was born Shuuichi and have grown up as him, a human, but I'm still a demon." He continued to tell her all about himself and his adventures with the group._

_"So Yusuke is the Spirit Detective, Kuwabara is basically a lucky idiot, and Hiei is a demon with the cold shoulder?"_

_Kurama laughed. "Pretty much."_

_"I'd like to meet them one day."_

_"Maybe some day you will." Kurama looked at her intently. 'She seems more relaxed now, more comfortable.'_

_That night, they had continued to talk about each other and of just about everything. Before they knew it, the sun was rising. It colors spread of the sky, causing Naomi to look up. "It's so beautiful. Every morning I watch the colors take over the dark sky. It's just… wow."_

_Kurama had never thought of it like that. He usually didn't care, but this one time, the sun rise was, well, magical. He sat back and relaxed as well. 'I didn't realize I was nervous and tense.' _

_Suddenly, Naomi got up and stretched. "Well we better head over. Sóra will be worried if we don't get in soon. She might think I shot you with my purifying arrows."_

_Kurama blinked a few times, but got up and stared straight into her eyes. "Now that you know more about me, do you still fear me?"_

_She looked at him and started laughing. _

_*Sweatdrop* 'That wasn't exactly what I was expecting.'_

_"I'm sorry. You thought I feared you? I never feared you. Distrusted you, yes, but feared? No way. I'm a miko! I face demons all the time. Why would I fear you?"_

_"Well, when we first met, you kept on stepping away from me. I assumed it was out of fear."_

_"Oh no!__ First lesson with mikos is put some space between you and the demon. It's kind of hard to shoot my arrow at you if you're right next to me."_

_"That makes sense." He looked over towards the house then back at her. "Shall we?"_

_She smiled and nodded. Without turning around, she called to him. "Kurama, I can tell now you are someone to be trusted. You may be a demon, but because of your mother, you have a human heart. Well, at least part of it." She turned her head and faced him. "I do not see a time where I would point my arrow at you." _

_She then ran off towards the house, leaving a confused Kurama behind. He then smiled and followed her. 'That's all I needed. I can't think of a reason to harm her or anyone else here. My fighting days just might be over.'_

_~End Flashback~_

Kurama smirked. 'End of my fighting? That was just a dream.' His mind kept wandering until he could see her smiling face in front of him. Before he knew what he was doing, Kurama found himself reaching out for her as her image disappeared. With a frown on his face, he sighed. 'You are my driving force, Naomi. You are someone I would gladly fight for, die for.'

Shaking his head, Kurama then left the railing and went to the lower decks. It was finally night. Maybe tonight he would get some rest.

~*~Seriously, comments and questions are welcomed. And here's some info on my other fanfics:

**_The Heart and History of the Pharaoh_**: (Yu-Gi-Oh!) Back on Duelist Kingdom, Yugi and the gang battle on to save his grandpa. They stumble upon a night club where they meet a beautiful singer. Who is she and how could she help Yami?_ (A/N: Okay, Danielle is an OC and the story is basically piecing together Yami's past, but possibly finding out more than even he imagined. It starts during __Duelist__Kingdom__ and picks up from there into a completely different story. __Battle__City__ does not exist in this story.)_

**_Lost_**: (Inu Yasha) InuYasha says something terrible to Kagome, causing her to run back home. She takes a walk in the park which leads her to the hospital. What happened to Kagome? (_Kinda__ self explanatory)_

**_Frozen_**: (Inu Yasha) In a world where Youkai and Humans have made a treaty, some disobey it. A hanyou and his friend get into an accident and wind up in the only hospital that admits both human and non-humans. The hanyou gets a visit from a girl. Why does she need help? _(A/N: This story is almost completely independent from the series. Only the characters and possibly some character traits are used.)_

**_Kaze_****_ ga Fuku Hi_**: (Inu Yasha) Kagome is a driven bookworm at college. Her friend Sango is lively and her boyfriend is a hentai. What happens when Kagome meets their equally driven friend with the beautiful violet eyes? _(A/N: Basically independent from the series.__ The idea was taken from _**Prescription for Love**_, an _**EscaFlowne**_ fanfic I love. The story is not an exact copy with just different people. It is just based on that idea.)_

**_Fall Into Me_**: (Inu Yasha) The Shikon No Tama is a band that starting to get very well known. Right as they are going after a record deal, their guitarist quits. Who will they get to play? Travel with the tour bus and see how love comes in mysterious ways. _(A/N: Another independent fic from the series. Lots of inside jokes which are just funny. Basically Kagome's heart gets numbed by some jerk. She's in a band with Sango, Miroku and Shippou. Can this new guitarist cure her broken heart)_

**_Coming Home_**: (EscaFlowne) Ten years have past since Hitomi returned to the Mystic Moon. She promised never to forget Van. In his heart he promised to never forget her. Have they kept their promises? _(A/N: As said, this takes place ten years after the end of the series. It's what happened after they went home and how their lives have changed.)___

So if you have free time, take a look at my other work. Ja ne!~*~


	7. Chapter 7

~*~ I'd love to get more reviews on this please. Tell anyone!!! Just kidding. (not really) Anywho, I'm typing this on my new laptop!!! It came today. Very excited, so you get a new chapter! On with the fic! ~*~

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Since that day, Naomi had been very busy putting up wards and surveying the surrounding forest area. With nothing better to do, he followed her. He became used to the looks he received when they occasionally had to go into the town itself. 'Stupid humans. They should fear me.' 

Many people would stop the miko and make some comment or thank you to her for something she had done. There were many dinner invitations as well, but she politely refused all of them. "It's the least I could do. It satisfies me knowing I protected someone you love and cherish. Please do not hesitant to come by the shrine and visit now and then. I do enjoy the company."

One particular day they went into town, he stood off to the side, closest to the forest. It was far enough away from the humans and their stares yet close enough to hear and to assist if necessary. 'Why do I bother? The miko obviously doesn't need any assistance from me. As a matter of fact, why do I even bother staying?' This new thought puzzled him greatly. Why was he staying? It just didn't make sense.

He stood off to the side pondering this when he heard a specific conversation she was having with a villager. "Forgive me, Naomi, but I must inquire as to why you are in the company of a demon. He's a violent person who would and could kill you without a seconds notice. Why keep such a threat close by?"

With a scowl on his face, he looked over to where she was. 'Old hag. Mind your business.' Then it occurred to him he had wondered the same thing often. He eagerly awaited her reply.

Naomi smiled at the woman. "Do not fear him. He is not someone I worry about. I trust him with my life and he has become a friend and somewhat guardian of mine. He has sought to protect me once. I do not fear him."

A smile spread onto his face before he could stop it. 'She trusts me?' This happy moment was short, for he heard the old woman's reply.

"Pardon me, but he is a fox demon. It is in his very nature to trick people, demon and human alike. Could he not be tricking you?"

The miko shook her head. "I do not believe he is tricking me. He could have killed me many times and he did not. I have no reason to think he is plotting against me or the people of this village. I trust him with no restrictions. Now if that is all, I must get back to the shrine. Excuse me." With that she walked away from the woman and on towards her home, him following in the shadows. He walked deep in thought yet again. 'I can't believe she has that much trust in me. Why? I am a demon, her enemy.' 

They had soon reached the shrine and she went right over to target practice. Before Naomi could pick up her bow, he placed a hand on her shoulder, signaling her to stop. She looked at him with curiosity written all over her face. "Is there something wrong, Kurama?"

"It is about what you said to that woman today." She nodded meaning she knew what he was speaking of. He looked at her fully and thought over and over again should he even be asking this question. After a few brief moments, he finally spoke. "Did you mean it? All that you said. Why did you say it?"

She looked at him, puzzled at his questions.  "Of course I meant it, all of it. I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it. I do view you as a friend and someone I can trust."

"But I am a demon, your enemy."

She shook her head. "You have done nothing against me. You could not possibly be viewed as an enemy if you have done nothing to show me otherwise. And whether you are a demon or not makes no difference to me. You are someone with feelings and emotions. That is all that matters, how you put your talent and feelings to use."

Quite surprised was he with her answer. Never had he heard such a thing. He watched her as she picked up her bow and arrow, aiming at the target. "Why do you trust me?"

Without looking away from the target, she replied, "Should I have a reason to doubt you?" She released the arrow and sent it flying free until it hit its mark on the bull's eye. The young miko then turned to him to receive an answer. He stood there, not knowing what to say. 

He lucked out, for they both sensed it at the same time. "There's a demon here. Stay here and-"

"You should know by now I'm going to go see for myself." He looked and saw her disappear into the forest in search of the demon. She already had a good head start in front of him, so he wasted no time going after her. 'Stupid miko. She's going to get herself killed at this rate.'

As he followed, a chill ran down his spine. 'Oh no. There's definitely more then one.' Quickening his speed, he raced through the forest to find where the young miko ran off to. A specific scent caught his nose at that moment. 'Blood. _Her_ blood.' He made himself run faster then he ever had before until he finally reached her. She must have been faster then he thought to have been that far ahead of him. What he saw shocked him.

There were a few people from the village there all huddled together. From their attire they must have been field workers. A few feet away from them were about ten demons. 'They must be a hunting party of some kind.' They had all surrounded the miko, who was clutching her arm, pain written all over her face. The demons were all laughing at her as one licked it's claw which was dripping with her blood.

"So miko, where's your protector now?" A huge roar of laughter exploded from them at the apparently funny situation. "You should learn never to trust a fellow demon like us. We are all betrayers in the end. Now, how do you wish to die?"

She smirked at the apparent leader. "Of old age. I shall not die this day, especially not by you."

The demon laughed. "And what are you going to do? You are already injured. If you weren't, maybe you could take all of us on, but you didn't know of my one hiding in the bushes. Now you can hardly hold that bow."

'So they ambushed her. Those low life… they aren't fit to be called demons.' Anger flowed through him at an enormous rate, frightening himself a bit. He didn't dwell on it for he set himself ready to attack.

"Hehe. Where's your so called guardian now, wench?" The one demon laughed.

"Right here." The demon turned just in time to have his face connect with his fist. The others turned to this intruder as he saw a look of relief take on Naomi's face. Two other demons came at him at once. He easily dodged them with grace and withdrew a rose from behind his hair. "Rose whip!" A long thorn covered green whip extended and took the place of the rose. With one fluid motion, he easily hit a majority of them and continued to do so until only the leader and one other remained. He glared at the two as one ran towards him, swinging his fist at him wildly. 'He's trying too hard to defeat me and to look good in the leader's eyes.' He leaped up into the air and used his whip one last time, defeating the demon who just fell to the ground in pain. None of the demons had actually been killed, but rather badly injured.

He looked over to the leader to see, to his horror, he had Naomi held up in his hands. The demon stood behind her, his arm coming across her neck cutting off air supply as well as using her as a shield from him. The blood flow down her arm had increased in this time. 

The leader laughed, seeing his eyes take on a look of red. "Why do you care so for this miko? She's just a worthless human, as are those over there who hide and do not lift a frail finger to help."

He growled and gripped the whip tighter. "They have shown nothing but kindness to me. I have no reason to harm them."

"Nor do you have a reason to protect them. A demon does not belong with humans. You cannot trust them, only feed on them. We are sworn enemies and the more we get rid of, the less likely they will get us." With that his grip on the miko increased, causing her a vast amount of pain. He then dug his claws into her side to try and make her yelp out in pain. She struggled hard not to cry out, but only let a tear fall from her eye. Blood soon started to seep through her clothing.

He then remembered what she had said to him. 

_She spoke one last thing. "I find you as one of the good kind."_

_He turned to her. "Don't be foolish. All demons are bad. Some just have good moments."_

_"Nonetheless, I see you as good."_

And also in the village…

_"He is not someone I worry about. I trust him with my life and he has become a friend and somewhat guardian of mine. I trust him with no restrictions."_

And yet again just before she ran off here…

_"You have done nothing against me. You could not possibly be viewed as an enemy if you have done nothing to show me otherwise. And whether you are a demon or not makes no difference to me. You are someone with feelings and emotions. That is all that matters, how you put your talent and feelings to use."_

His anger began to build. "Let go of her now. Not all demons and humans are to be enemies. This one and this village are under my protection." With that he sent out his rose whip. The demon moved the girl in the way to block the attack, but there was no fear in her eyes or her scent. Not understand why, the demon looked and soon realized. The whip was being manipulated into changing course! Before he could move to defend, the demon felt the thorns of the whip dig into his skin. The pain was enormous, which caused him to release the girl, dropping her to the ground. She landed hard onto her wound and clutched it, the pain flashing in her eyes. 

He quickly walked over to the demon who was now on the ground and glared at him. "Remember, this woman and her village are under my protection. I will not be so lenient with your lives the next time. Now take your hunting party and leave, never to return." He watched as the demon nodded, got his troops together and left, limping deep into the forest. Turning, he told the few people to return to their homes, which they did quickly. With a soften expression, he went over to the woman who had fallen. Too much of her blood was coming out of her body. Without a word, he bent down and lifted her into his arms. Making sure she was alright and he wasn't hitting her wounds, he raced off into the forest and to the shrine. 

When he finally got there, he pulled out a futon for her and placed her gently on it. 'She has lost a lot of blood. I have to stop the bleeding or else she will die.' Without another thought, he reached to move the sleeve to examine the wound to her arm. 'Damn, it is closer to her shoulder.' Taking a deep breath, he looked to see her still semi-conscious. "Now listen to me. I need to take a look at both your shoulder and your side to stop the bleeding or else you will die. I need you to trust me."

Her eyes slowly locked with his, telling him all he needed to know. She did trust him. Knowing what he wanted to do, she slowly removed the top part of her miko robe. 

He looked away and quickly got her something to cover a certain area of her body. While doing so, he felt his cheeks burning. Was he… blushing? There was no time to ponder that. The more time he took the less chance she had of surviving. Once she was covered, he set to work on her injuries. As he worked, he noticed her fall unconscious, probably asleep. 'She has no fear of me whatsoever. I will protect you for you are unlike anyone I have ever known. I will safe your life this day with no regrets, just like you saved mine.'

With that and no more interruptions, he worked well into the night to make the bleeding stop.

~*~Okay, another down. Yay! Now, all you have to do is push that button down there and review. Tell me if I'm completely wasting all my sleep time writing this or not. Review!!!! ~*~


	8. Chapter 8

~*~I'm having fun on my new laptop so you get another update! Lucky you! Enjoy!~*~

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The light of the sun pouring in through the window demanded the red haired demon to awaken from slumber. He awoke with a groan and placed his feet onto the floor of his room. The ship was still in calm waters. The gently rocking of the boat against the waves seemed to lull the others into a pleasant slumber while Kurama sat on the edge of his bed wide awake. 

So as to not disturb the others, he slowly got up and left the room, heading for the deck above. The breeze was light and just barely tickled his skin. Kurama looked out into the vast sea, wondering what exactly he would be facing. "Whatever it is, I will overcome it. I know you are there and I will free you, even if it cost me my own life."

"Hopefully that won't be necessary." Kurama turned and saw Yusuke walking up the stairs from the lower level. He looked at Kurama with a determined look in his eyes.

"Yusuke. What are you doing up so early?"

"Never mind that." He walked over to the demon and rested his back against the railing. "What you should be asking is what am I talking about." 

"Alright. What are you speaking of?"

"Simple. We all heard your little fit with Hiei and put the puzzle pieces together. We have a rough idea on what's going on." Kurama looked at him, slightly stunned. 'So they had all heard. They all know and yet they have no idea.' Yusuke soon interrupted his thoughts.

"If it was with Keiko, I would do the very same thing. I don't know all the circumstances, but I do know what you feel right now."

A sense of understanding went through them at that moment. They looked at each other, one with understanding and determination, one with gratitude. Kurama looked away and smiled. "Thank you Yusuke."

Yusuke just smirked and headed down the stairs from which he came. "They actually give you breakfast on this little boat. You wait too long and Kuwabara will eat it all. And I'm not kidding either."  As he was walking, he laced his fingers together and placed them behind his head, his trademark pose. Kurama nodded and smiled, watching as he departed. The demon took one last look at the waters and then went to sit with his team. He probably did have to hurry. It wasn't that he was worried about the quantity of food, but rather the fight between Kuwabara and Hiei that was bound to occur.

~After breaking the fast~

As promised, Hiei and Kuwabara got into some argument in which, of course, Hiei won. Yusuke had to hold Kuwabara back at one point and Kurama had to make Hiei believe that fight was pointless, which it was. 'And they are going to help in her rescue? Why am I suddenly worried?' Botan pretended not to know them, which was probably the wisest idea.

After that, Yusuke enlisted the help of Hiei to get in some sort of practice. Kuwabara, not knowing what to do, followed Kurama out on the top deck. "It is rather nice out here, isn't it? Huh?" He looked over to see Kurama not even paying attention to him. 'That's not like him.' He walked up closer to where he was on the side railing and leaned on it just like the others had at one point or another. "It's rather nice out here, isn't it?"

Kurama blinked a few times, as if just now realizing Kuwabara's presence. "Yes it is. Breathtaking." 

They stood there in silence for a few moments, one thinking of past times while the other wondering if they should break the demon's trance. 

_~Flashback~_

_The first month had gone by and Kurama was very settled. He and Naomi were getting along very well now. Haku actually thought Kurama was the coolest thing ever created, so he had to now and then demonstrate his demonic power aka Rose Whip and such.  As he showed the boy, he noticed out of the corner of his eye the young miko was watching as well. He made sure to truly show his strength whenever she was nearby, though he didn't quite know why. _

_One day, early in the morning, Kurama awoke and looked outside to hear Haku yelling at someone that they were doing great. Curious, he looked over at the clock that was provided in the room. His eyes went wide when it processed in his mind the actual time. '6:30? Why would someone be up this early unless they had to?' Stretching out, Kurama threw the covers off and got up slowly. He was wearing a white tank top and plaid pajama pants. Although he was very comfortable, he walked over to the window to see what exactly was going on._

_Below him, Kurama saw Haku standing outside the forest holding something in his hand while holding a clipboard in the other. Curiosity getting the better of him, Kurama got dressed and went down to find out exactly what was going on. He walked through the kitchen and into the backyard. "Haku. What's going on?"_

_The boy blinked repeatedly as he turned his head towards the demon, apparently shocked. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"_

_Kurama strolled over to the boy. "It's alright. I was getting up soon anyway." 'In a few hours anyway.' "What's going on here?"_

_Haku looked back towards the forest and down at the clipboard. "Training. Hang on."_

_Kurama raised an eyebrow and turned his attention at the forest. Soon he thought he  saw a blur of  black rush by. A few moments later, Kurama heard Naomi's voice. "How was that Haku?"_

_The boy clicked the button in his right hand, which Kurama noticed was a stop watch, and wrote something down on the clip board. "About a minute faster this time. You're getting better everyday."_

_"Arigatou."__ Kurama turned and saw Naomi dressed in a form fitting black tank top and equally form fitting shorts. Her hair was tied back and she appeared winded. "What went on while I was sleeping?"_

_Naomi looked at him for the first time. "Oh, Kurama. I'm sorry. Did we wake you?"_

_"Don't worry about that. What just went on?"_

_"Training.__ I get up around six to train. Every other day is running."_

_"What are you training for?"_

_She blinked at him. "Miko training. I have to be in shape and be able to move quickly to dodge any attacks. I try to increase my speed as much as possible." She turned to Haku, who handed her some water. "Haku here agreed to wake up early and be my timer." Naomi did a few stretches and then walked over to one area in front of the forest. Kurama walked over with her. "So you hope to match the speed of a demon?"_

_She smiled. "Not match. To beat the speed of a demon. If I beat it, I can get out of harms way with no problem."_

_This caused Kurama to chuckle. Naomi looked at him with a look of disbelief. "What are you laughing at?"_

_"My apologies, but if that is your goal, it is in vain."_

_She walked over to him with this challenging look on her face. "Oh? And why's that?"_

_"No human can ever even match the speed of a demon. It's just not possible."_

_Naomi crossed her arms and stared into his eyes. "Is that a fact?"_

_Haku smiled. "It sounds like a challenge to me. Why don't you two race now? The trail is marked for you, so Naomi will not have an advantage. It's a new path each day. I'll make up the terms of what the other should get should the other win. Agreed?"_

_Naomi smiled as a thought entered her head. "Why not change it a bit? My whole theory is to beat a demon if it is chasing or hunting me. Well, you are a demon. Let's test my theory." Haku smiled and nodded while looking over at Kurama to see his reaction._

_This is not exactly how the red haired demon planned on starting his day. He just smiled. "Why not? I could use a good morning workout."_

_"Wonderful. Now Naomi will take off first and about five seconds later Kurama will take off after her. Now you have to physically catch her in order to win. The exit and end of the race is over where Naomi came out before. Sound fair?" They both agreed and walked over to the starting area where Naomi had stood before. As they got set, Naomi turned her head to Kurama. "No holding back now." Kurama nodded and waited for Haku's signal. _

_"Ready! Set! Go!" Naomi took off into the forest and a few second later, so did Kurama. As soon as he entered, he looked around for the girl. 'She is in black so she will be harder to find.' Just that moment, a blur ran off in the distance. 'I think I just found my target.' He took off after her and soon had her in his sights. Just as he was about to reach out and grab her, she pushed off on her right foot and moved in a completely different direction. _

_"You're going to have to try harder then that Kurama." Her laugh echoed in the forest area. He smirked and jumped into the trees to make sure she was below him so he could just jump down and trap her. Kurama gracefully jumped from tree branch to branch, following her scent and her trial. 'She'll never expect an overhead assault.' _

_He slowly grew closer to her and prepared himself for his jump. 'She is pretty fast, for a human. She might even match a demon's speed.' Without a second thought, Kurama jumped down and prepared to grab her, but, to his surprise, she not only jumped up and out of the way, but back flipped over the low hanging tree branch behind her, landing softly on her feet. Without hesitation, she began running towards her goal again, leaving Kurama wide eyed staring at where she was. 'That was incredible.' _

_Shaking his head, he took off after her once again, pushing himself to his maximum speed. She was close to the finish, so Kurama pushed even more and launched himself at her. 'It's my only way to stop her without using any of my weapons.' _

_She was only a few feet from the finish when she turned her head and saw him land on her waist, pulling her down to the ground. So caught off guard, she had no time to move out of the way. He soon had her in his arms and they were falling quickly to the ground. Kurama took her into one arm and extended the other, using it to push off the ground and flip so they didn't both land hard on the ground. Her arms were wrapped tightly around his neck. Kurama soon landed on his feet with the miko held tightly to him on one side. Her eyes were very wide and filled with shock. He looked at her and smiled. "It appears I have won the game."_

_She only looked up at him, her violet eyes still wide with shock. He couldn't help but stare into their depths which he felt consumed him. It was as if they were staring into his very soul, seeing him for what he truly was._

_The little moment was soon shattered, for Haku came over with a smile on his face. "Wow! That was so amazing! I mean, wow! You just came out of now where and then when I thought you were gonna hit that ground hard, you threw your hand out and sprang up and over! Even with Naomi in your arms!" Haku raised an eyebrow and gave them a weird look. "Umm…" the boy coughed. "I think you can let go of each other now." Haku smiled a sly grin._

_Kurama looked at Naomi who looked at him in return. She slowly let go of him as he reluctantly released her. A small bit of pink was tinting her cheeks. 'Is she… blushing?' He also felt some heat on his cheeks. 'I am as well.' They both looked anywhere but at each other when off in the distance they heard a familiar voice. "Come on in for breakfast!"_

_They all walked back towards the house to where Sóra had made them something to eat in order to get on with the rest of their day. 'The day has already proven to have promise.' Kurama stole a glance over at the miko. To his surprise, she had looked over at him as well. Both quickly turned their heads and held a hint of red on their cheeks. Oh yes. This trip held much promise for these two._

_~End Flashback~_

"Kurama?!? Jeez, snap out of it!"

"Huh? What?" The said demon shook his head and focused on the tall man beside him. "I apologize, Kuwabara. I have not been myself lately."

Kuwabara looked over his teammate and friend. 'He has his mind somewhere else entirely. It's as if he's longing for something… or some_one.' He sighed and looked out into the sky, watching the clouds as they floated by. "You know, Kurama, we're all here if you need help with anything. We'll all stand by you with whatever demons you need to face. Er, no pun intended."_

Kurama smiled. "Thank you Kuwabara. It is nice to be reminded now and then of people who will stand by your side. This is a battle I know I won't be fighting alone."

"You got that right." The two looked up to see the rest of the gang there, smiling at them. Well, all but Hiei. He didn't smile but gave a nod of agreement. 

"Thank you all. And I do promise when we get closer to the island, I will tell you everything about this demon that I know and why it is so urgent for me to stop him. Also why I need to save this miko that is imprisoned there."

They all nodded and went their separate ways. Kurama stayed on deck to look out at the ocean. 'I told you one day you would meet them. I had no idea it would be under these circumstances.' A glare suddenly appeared on his face. 'Natas, I'm coming for you. I promise you're evil ways will not survive after our meeting.'

~*~Hi. That's it for today. What? You want more? You are a little demanding, aren't you? Maybe you leave lots of reviews, I can get it up for you tomorrow. No promises though. Ja ne! 


	9. Chapter 9

~*~I'm slowly breaking through my writer's block. I also want to get to 15 reviews, but I doubt I will. If I can get close to that, or even past that, I'll update again. Enjoy the chapter! ~*~

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It had been two days since she had gotten injured. After those two days, the miko was still unconscious. Worried, he crossed over to her, bent down and examined the wounds again. 'This does not make sense. She should have been awake by now.' Taking a close look at the wound on her side, his suspicion was proven correct. 'It is infected. She was dropped on it. Perhaps something got into the wound.' He sat there looking at the wounds thinking of what he could possibly do. 'Wait…'

With that, he got up and went to the forest, running at full pace. 'I will return soon. Please be well until I return.' He took one last look at her before leaving the shrine. Her face was pale and she looked very weak, lack of food entering her body. Her hair was tied back and lay on her side as her body rested on the futon, the blanket coming up to her neck. For some reason, he felt unsure of leaving her alone like that. 'I'd feel a lot better if I knew someone was there to protect her while I was gone. That just means I have to go even quicker.'

Deep into the forest he went, looking around and snatching up different looking plants here and there. 'I have all but one. Where could it be?' Finally, after searching for a few more moments, he found the herb he was seeking. 'Yes, this will do it.' Collecting all he had gathered, he sped off back to the shrine as quickly as he could. 'Every second I waste, she slips farther away. I must hurry.'

The scenery flew by him as he went through the forest, breaking a new record for himself when he finally saw the shrine. With a sigh of relief, he saw no one had entered, leaving the miko safe from harm. He then entered and searched the place, looking for anything he could use for crushing all the herbs together. After finding what he required, he went back into her room to keep an eye on her while he prepared what he believed would help her. 

After the herbs were all crushed, they formed a coating of some kind. He reached over and began applying it to the infected wounds, one on her arm near the shoulder and the one on her side. 'That should do it. She should be alright after a day or two.' 

With that, he set aside the bowl he used and yawned. He hadn't slept since the run in two days ago. 'A few minutes wouldn't hurt.' Leaning against the wall, he made sure she was in his line of vision in case she needed anything and slowly closed his eyes, the young miko being the last thing he saw. 

When he awoke, it had turned into morning. Stretching, he looked over to see the miko turn slightly in her sleep. Sighing, he held a small grin on his face. 'That means the medicine is working. She wasn't even moving before.' Quickly and silently, he went over to her side to reapply the medicine. 

"Kurama?"

Startled, he looked up into the face of the miko whose eyes were slowly opening. Her voice was weak and small, so unlike her that he wasn't sure it was her who spoke. 

He wanted to smile with relief, but masked his concern. "It's about time you woke up."

"How long was I asleep?"

"It's been three days now."

The weak girl lifted her head to see what he was doing. "What is that?"

"It's a medicine I learned of a long time ago. It works on demons so I thought I'd try it on you. Your wounds had gotten infected so I tried to heal them."

A strange look crossed her features. "You were worried about me?"

The white haired demon didn't know how to answer that. If he said yes, then it would look like he cared, but if he said no… well, then she could come back with why did he make this stuff for her. A though crossed his mind. 'Wait… Why did I?'

Still applying the coating to her wounds, he answered. "I told you before. I shall be the one to kill you, no one else."

A small smile spread on her lips. He noticed this out of the corner of his eye and felt like smiling as well, but did not. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Naomi."

Her whole body stiffened at that moment. Curious, he turned to look at her, a questioning look in his eyes. "What's wrong?"

Shaking her head, she replied. "Nothing. It's just… you've never said my name before. Does this mean-"

Picking up the bowl, he stood and went to leave the room. "You should get some more rest. Your side wound will take a few days more to heal."

She nodded and crawled back under the covers. "Kurama, before you leave… Thank you for what you did. For saving my life and… umm…"

One of his fox ears turned slightly in her direction. "And…?"

Shaking her head, she smiled at him. "And nothing. Thank you."

He nodded and left the room, leaving the miko to rest. 

As promised, she was up and all healed the next day. In fact, she was up at target practice when he got up. From a distance, he watched her as she let loose her arrows to the target. Perfect bull's eye every time.

After while, he let himself get lost in his thoughts. 'Why did I help her? She's just a human. Worse, a miko. I'd be better off if she died, wouldn't I? If that's true, why did I worry about her? I don't understand.'

"Kurama?"

Blinking, he looked at her as a soft breeze went by, blowing her hair to the side. She had this weird look in her eyes and she was smiling at him. For a moment, he was lost in her eyes, her deep violet eyes. 'She looks so beautiful… Wait a minute. Where did that come from??' Frightened by these thoughts, he shook his head and looked up again. Naomi had come closer and was kneeling in front of him, a concerned look on her face. "You looked dazed for a minute there. You okay?"

He just nodded and stood. "I'm fine."

Blinking at him, she sighed and went inside. "I'll have dinner ready soon." 

All he could do was nodded. That thought still rang in his head which scared him a bit. 'Why did I think that? She's a human! But, she's different from the rest. They all run in fear of me at first glance or try to kill me. Not her. She tried to help me. She defended me and trusts me. It doesn't make sense… but…'

"Kurama! Come on. Dinner's ready." Naomi stood at the doorway and smiled at him while waving. "Come on! Don't make me eat this all by myself."

He smiled at her, a pure genuine smile. Her smile got softer, yet wider as she reentered the house. He moved to enter as well. '…but… I'm glad it doesn't.' With that, he went inside, sat at the table and ate dinner with her, a miko, an enemy… a friend.

~*~Now we're getting somewhere. I appreciate any comments, even flames. That just makes me work harder to prove your opinion is wrong. *wink* Anywho, just a random thought. If any of you own or have rented _Spirited Away_, watch it in Japanese with the English subtitles. The story is a bit different that way. The whole Chihiro/Haku relationship is seen more. It's so cool!!!!!! Anywho, Ja ne! ~*~


	10. Chapter 10

~*~Hi all. It's me again. Just finished watching _Yu Yu Hakusho_ all the way up to after rescuing Yukina. Now I wanna write about "my honey" Kurama. That is what KiiroiKitori calls him for me. Apparently Hiei is "her baby." They are "our boys". Too bad we don't own them. ::both sob in corner:: Anywho, review at the end! It makes me very sad no one likes this story… But I'm updating anyway.~*~

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It was their third day on the boat. They would reach the island in a few days, weather permitting. Kuwabara was off somewhere, probably playing cards with Botan. Hiei was on the other side of the ship practicing with his sword, leaving Yusuke and Kurama outside looking over the waters. It was mostly a comfortable silence between the two.

"Kurama, can I ask you something?" The said demon looked at his companion. "What is it?"

"How did you meet her? Last I checked mikos and demons weren't exactly the best of friends."

Kurama smiled. "You are right. Demons would not usually be seen near one for fear of losing their lives. If they were to go to a miko, it would be for their blood."

"Then what about you?"

A sigh escaped his lips. "It was summer and my mother wished for me to stay with an old friend of hers. Probably so someone would keep an eye on me and my whereabouts. You must admit we have been away for long periods of time. I was only told of the friend and a boy living at a shrine. As I entered the property, I felt no threat of any powers from the woman. I eventually met her son out in the back. I, at first, thought he was practicing, but saw a young woman with a bow and arrows. I immediately felt some power within her and was confirmed of my suspicions when the boy told me she was a miko."

"Weren't you afraid at first?"

"No. I felt if I did nothing wrong, she would not harm me. I was on guard for quite some time, but it was not out of fear. It was caution. I thought she actually feared me. It turned out she was only being cautious as well. We eventually began to trust each other."

Yusuke looked at the demon with a bit of sadness in his eyes. 'Kurama has very strong feelings for this girl.' "What's her name?"

Looking up at the cloudless sky, Kurama answered. "Naomi."

"I don't suppose you have a picture."

Taking a side look at the spirit detective, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a slightly wrinkled photo. Without a word, he handed it to Yusuke, who took it carefully. 

In the picture was a smiling Kurama who was holding a woman with brown hair and the most beautiful violet eyes Yusuke had ever seen. She was smiling as well and had her head on his shoulder. They looked very happy and... in love? Yusuke had never seen Kurama look that happy before. Sure, Kurama was a nice guy, but never had he shown this much joy. And to think that was captured in a picture.

Yusuke handed the picture back to Kurama. "She's beautiful."

Kurama held the picture in his hand and looked at it, sorrow in his eyes. "She is. The boy took this picture after a few minutes of arguing. Naomi did not like having her picture taken, same with myself."

Silently, he put the picture back into his pocket and looked out into the sky again. Yusuke could see the pain and longing in his eyes. He knew then that Kurama was definitely in love with this miko. "I'd like to hear more of your story, if you want."

"Perhaps at another time." Yusuke nodded and they stood in silence again, one loosing himself to another memory.

_~Flashback~_

_It was the day after the chase in the forest. Kurama was walking around the grounds after lunch when Haku came up to him. "Kurama! Hold on!"_

_Stopping, the demon waited for the boy to catch up to him. "What is it Haku?"_

_The boy looked around and saw the miko gathering herbs in the forest nearby, within ear shot, but apparently Kurama hadn't seen her. "I almost forgot about the reward from yesterday."_

_Kurama gave him a questioning look. "A reward?"_

_The boy nodded as he noticed he had gotten the miko's attention as well. "When you won the race. I had said before hand I'd make out what each would get if they won. You won so you should get your reward."_

_Smiling at the boy's logic, Kurama sighed. "Alright. And what is to be my reward?" 'It couldn't be anything too bad.'_

_Haku smiled. "A kiss from Naomi." Out of the corner of his eye, Haku saw her drop the herb she had found and started to blush. Looking back at the demon, he was a bit surprised to see some pink on his face as well._

_Kurama was speechless. That was not what he expected at all. 'A kiss? From Naomi?' That's when he noticed she was not that far away, probably looking for herbs. There was a look of shock on her face as well as a blush. 'She must not have known either.'_

_Shaking his head slightly, Kurama looked at Haku. "That will not be necessary. It is disrespectful to Naomi. Besides, she would have beaten me if I had been just a step behind. It was all in good fun."_

_With that, he left the wide eyed boy and walked back to the house. Kurama then went into the small living room, searching for something to read. 'The Samurai's Garden. Why not?' He picked it up and sat down to begin reading. For some reason, Kurama did not want to return outside that day._

_By the time dinner came, he had finished the book. 'It was a nice story with a good plot.' He sat down at the table and noticed Naomi was not there. "If I may inquire, where is Naomi?"_

_Sóra looked at him. "Oh, she had to go into town. Something about an exorcism or something like that. I put some food on the side for her. Don't worry. Eat."_

_Kurama ate the food, but his mind was still on what happened earlier._

_After dinner, Kurama excused himself and went outside again. The stars were out at this time, dancing around. He eventually found himself at the hill Naomi had brought him to when they had begun to trust each other. Sitting down on the grass, he looked up at the stars. What Haku had said was still in his mind. 'Why would he think I would do that? I would never kiss a woman unless there were already feelings between us. Even then, I would be cautious. She would have to know about all of me, the old me.'_

_A twig snapped nearby and Kurama looked up to find Naomi coming towards him. She smiled at him. "I thought I might find you out here. Mind if I join you?"_

_"Not at all."__ He waited for her to sit beside him, knees brought up to her chest with her head resting on top of them. She had her gaze to the town below. _

_"How was the exorcism?"_

_She shrugged. "Once you've done one, you've done them all. Nothing too special about this one."_

_Kurama nodded and they sat in silence for a few minutes._

_"Kurama?"___

_He turned and looked at the woman beside him. "Yes?"_

_She looked a bit uncomfortable, as if she didn't know exactly how to say what she wanted to. "I, umm, wanted to thank you. I heard what Haku said before." A blush surfaced on her face again just recalling it._

_Kurama gave her a small smile. "There is no need to thank me."_

_"Still, it was a very… gentlemanly thing to say. I appreciated it, you know, the fact that you respect me."_

_She turned and looked at him. Her eyes showed him what she was saying was the truth. "I have always respected you. That is why I made efforts to win your trust. I would not do anything to disrespect you in any way."_

_Her eyes softened as a small smile appeared on her face. "Thank you."_

_A soft breeze blew by, causing the young miko to shiver slightly. Kurama noticed this out of the corner of his eye. He took off his light jacket and placed it on her shoulders. She seemed surprised by the action and turned to him. _

_He smiled. "A gentleman, as you chose to call me, would give his coat to a beautiful woman if she was shivering." _

_Naomi blinked a few times as a blush spread on her face. Kurama then realized what he said. 'I called her beautiful.' Looking at her, though, he realized why he had said that. 'She is beautiful.' _

_She clutched the jacket close to her and whispered a thank you to him. He nodded and returned his gaze to the night sky. _

_"It's a nice night. The sky is so clear."_

_Kurama nodded at her comment. The sky was cloudless, allowing those who wished to view the stars an easy time. 'It is nice here.'_

_Eventually, the two headed back for the house. They entered and walked up toward their respective rooms. Naomi's was the first one so she turned to Kurama and smiled, slowly taking off his jacket and handing back at him. "Thank you again."_

_He just smiled and reached to take the jacket. Kurama covered Naomi's for a moment. He looked up into her eyes and she looked deeply into his emerald ones. After a moment, Naomi blinked and looked away, taking her hand away from his. "Good night Kurama."_

_"Good night Naomi." She then entered her room, closing the door behind her._

_Kurama smiled and head toward his room. Once inside, he changed and climbed into the comfortable bed. As he was closing his eyes, the last thing he saw was her smiling face._

_~End of Flashback~_

A loud sound broke Kurama away from his memory. "That's it shrimp. I'm gonna kick your butt!"

"Feh, why should I waste my time on an idiot like you?"

"Spirit Sword!"

Yusuke and Kurama sighed and moved to prevent Hiei from killing Kuwabara. After all, they needed four people to make up a team. Last they checked, Botan couldn't fight. In fact she was trying to stop the fight, but with no success. 

'I wonder what the family reunion would look like if Kuwabara did marry Yukina.' Smiling at this thought, Kurama quickened his walk to keep the two apart. "Can we save this little feud until after the demon?"

Hiei glared at Kuwabara and then walked off, deciding against killing the idiot. Another day, another fight. It was like clock work. Kurama just hoped they could not truly kill each other until Naomi was safe. 

Botan then looked out at the water. "This is unexpected. We might actually get to the island tomorrow. So you guys better quit fighting!"

Kurama looked at Botan then out to the water. 'Tomorrow. I'm almost there, Naomi. Please wait a little longer.'

The waves crashed against the ship as it moved. Kurama watched this as Hiei came up behind him. "Alright, Kurama. You've had your time to stall. Now tell us everything."

Kurama sighed and turned to face the whole gang. "Yes, I guess it is time for me to tell you everything. Where would you like me to start?"

Hiei gave him a demanding look. "At the beginning would be appropriate."

Kurama nodded and took a deep breath. "It all started a year after the end of the Dark Tournament…"

~*~Well, what do you think? I really really REALLY would like more reviews please. I can beg you know! Anywho, Ja ne!~*~ 


	11. Chapter 11

~*~Adding another chapter just because I can.~*~

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A week had passed since Naomi had recovered from her injuries. He knew he had to keep an eye on her now that at least one set of demons knew where he was. Things were just going to get harder now. There she was at target practice again. While she held back the bow, a loud and annoying voice screamed for her from the front.

"Naomi-sama!!! Where are you??"

Naomi lowered her bow and sighed, rubbing her temples. He looked over at her with a questioning look. "It's okay Kurama. It's only Sóra. She comes up to the shrine now and then to learn new things from me."

He nodded and moved to go inside the house. The last thing he needed right now was another person sending him evil glares because he was a fox demon. He just made it inside when a bubbly little girl ran to the back and up to Naomi.

"Naomi-sama! Did you miss me?"

The miko smiled down at the girl no more then ten years in age. "Of course, Sóra. Now what do I owe the honor of this visit?"

The girl looked around, seemingly looking for something. "Mom told me I was to see if the rumors are true about you living with a male fox youkai. She also said I…" The girl's eyes went wide as she paled. She turned to the miko who looked at her bewildered. "She also said I wasn't supposed to tell you. Oopsies." 

*Sweatdrop*

Naomi sighed. "Well, let us not keep anything from your mother." She turned and headed to the house and pushed the door open. "Wait there Sóra, and don't touch anything please. The arrows are sharp." The girl nodded and Naomi went inside the house.

The place was dark but she soon found him sitting in the room he had somewhat assigned himself to. He looked up when her scent reached his nose. She walked in and smiled, bending down and took his hand. His eyes widened. "What the…?"

Naomi's smile grew. "She came to meet you. Do not be afraid. She's just a child."

He shot her this look of annoyance. "Who said I was afraid?"

Naomi just smiled. "No one. Come on."

He looked away from her. "Why should I?" Suddenly, she got down beside him and looked straight into his golden eyes with her violet ones.

"Please? As a favor to me?"

After looking into her eyes for a moment, he sighed and got up, ready to be lead to the child that would surely scream at his appearance. Naomi's eyes lit up and she took his hand, leading him to the child. He was glad she was happy, which almost made him glad to do this for her. Almost.

Sliding the door open, Naomi dropped his hand, much to his disappointment that he didn't understand why he felt. Standing there was a small girl with dark brown hair and big blue eyes. Blue eyes that were wide and staring at him at the moment. It was a bit uncomfortable to say the least.

"Sóra, this is Kurama. Kurama, this is Sóra." Naomi looked first at him then at the girl. There was a few moments of awkward silence until to his horror, the girl smiled brightly. "KAWAII!!!!" She began hopping up and down to reach for his ears as well as try to pet his tail.  Notice the word try. He moved away from her and eventually had to get behind Naomi, who was just laughing. Her laugh was sweet and caused a warm feeling to stir inside him. 

The girl then stopped and looked at him curiously. "You can't be an evil demon. Mom said you might be trying to cloud Naomi's mind so you could kill her in her sleep, but you're hiding behind her now, so you can't be that bad. Mom was worried that since you have been here so long you two might be having too much fun. She didn't tell me what she meant but only said I wasn't old enough to understand."

Both the miko and the demon behind her turned a bright shade of red and slowly moved away from each other. Naomi was definitely flustered while he looked everywhere but at the two females. Naomi was the first one to find her voice. "Sóra, what else did your mother say?"

The girl though this over for a minute. "Well, she said that you spend too much time up at the shrine so you're gonna die an old maid because no guy will even look at you cause you stay up here too much. She says you need man to take care of you and… and… and that you should be with guys from your own kind, not some crumby demon, but I didn't understand that. I mean donuts are crumby but that guy doesn't look like a donut, but he did hide behind you so I'm not sure."

Out of the corner of her eye, Naomi saw him start to flex his claws, looking as if he was going to attack. He had had enough of this… child. He soon felt a delicate hand on his arm, restraining him. Naomi whispered into his ear, "It's only for a few hours. Please try not to kill her."

The look in her eyes practically begged him to not harm this… creature, so he made a fist at his side instead. He also noticed a bit of sadness in her eyes. He made a mental note to ask her about that later. 'Wait… why do I care?'

Naomi turned her attention back to the girl. "Sóra, how long are you here today?"

"Oh! Mom said I could stay here over night. She said something about leaving her headache behind, but I didn't get that either."

He tried so hard not to laugh, but instead just smiled a knowing smile. 'Jee, I wonder why.' He could see Naomi visibly cringe but put on a smile. "Great. Well, I guess I'm going to have to find you a room to stay in." A look of panic crossed her face. Then he figured out why. There were only two bedrooms in the house. One was hers and one he had taken possession of. Naomi shook her head and headed inside. "You'll sleep in my room, Sóra."

"But where are you gonna sleep, Naomi-sama?"

She turned back to the girl. "Don't worry about that. I just want to make sure you are comfortable. I'll find somewhere to sleep."

This did not sit well with him at all. The child shrugged and dragged Naomi off to show her how to shoot and such. He stood off to the side and watched. 'Even though the girl is very annoying, Naomi keeps calm and explains things to her. It's almost… motherly.'

This little scene continued until Naomi decided to make dinner. She looked over at him. "Kurama? Could you watch Sóra while I make us all some dinner?"

As much as he didn't want to, he nodded, agreeing to watch the little pup for awhile. She smiled at him and headed inside, passing him. As she did, she whispered so only he could hear, "Thank you." He nodded and she went in to start on dinner.

The girl ran up and sat beside him, looking him over intently. He raised one eyebrow as she examined him, something he did not like at all. "What are you doing?"

Sóra blinked at him. "So you can talk. Good. Now I can ask you stuff."

He raised his gaze upward and wondered what the hell he had done to have to listen to this girl. Whatever it was, he took it back ten times over. 

The girl looked at him and smiled. "Mom told me you arrived here a long time ago, but why haven't you left yet? I mean you are a wild demon and all."

How could he answer this girl when part of him didn't even know the answer? Sighing, he thought of the best possible answer he could give. "I owe her for saving my life. I stay here to help protect her."

Sóra smiled again. "Are you sure? Cause I think you really like her. That's okay with me. I think you're cool, but Mom thinks she should look for someone else. So do ya? Do you like Naomi-sama?"

He looked at her as if she had the plague. Could that possible be the hidden reason why he stayed so long? No, it was just to repay his debt to her, that's all. But was it?

To his delight, he did not have to answer her question for Naomi came out to get them for dinner. The girl at first frowned, but then jumped up and ran inside, he walking behind her. 

Dinner was a bit louder then to his liking, but he reasoned it wouldn't be for long. Naomi kept listening to the child and made some comments now and then. Eventually they all finished and cleared off the table, washing the dishes and putting everything away. He turned to her and was glad when she looked at him.

"I need to go-"

"-for a run? Sure, I can handle things here. She gets tamer after dinner. Enjoy yourself." She smiled at him and turned to attend to the child living in her home presently. He smiled at her retreating form and soon left the house, heading straight to the forest for a nice run.

When he got into the middle of it, he stopped his run and inhaled the smells all around him. He could never tire of it. It was one of the few things that calmed him. 'Naomi calms me as well.' Snapping his head up, he was startled by his own thoughts. 'But it is true.' She just brought some peace to him, making him feel relaxed. How could this be? Was that girl right?

His thoughts ran wild as he fingered the pendant around his neck. It had been Kuronue's when he was alive. For some reason, he felt the need to have it, to remember his fallen partner. 

Shaking his head, he returned to his running as he headed back to the shrine. When he got there, most of the lights were off, signaling the inhabitants were probably asleep. 'Was I gone for that long?' As he went to open the back door, the door opened and there stood Naomi, a bit surprised to see him standing there. "Oh, sorry. I was just going to head over to the hill. Sóra's asleep so I thought this would be a good time. Care to join me?"

He moved out of her way as she stepped out of the house. He closed the door and followed her to the hill. Sitting down, Naomi looked at the village below. He sat right beside her.

"How was your run?"

"Good."

"Clear your mind?"

"Yes."

"That's good." She had this far off look in her eyes, as if she had her mind on another topic entirely. Then he remembered before when Sóra mentioned everything about settling down. For some reason, he just had to ask her about that.

"Why were you sad before?"

The miko looked at him with surprise written all of her face. Finally realizing what he was referring to, she looked away from him. "It's nothing. Nothing important."

He looked at her and knew she was hiding something. That same look was in her eyes as before. "I would really like to know."

There was a long silence that filled the area surrounding them. He looked over at her to see a single tear fall down her cheek. Instinctively, he reached up and wiped her tear away. "It has to be more then nothing if it brings you tears."

She turned her head away from him, as if trying not to show her weakness to him. He reached over and pulled her chin so she would look at him. Her violet eyes looked as if the tears were building up, but were not permitted to fall. Concern filled his golden eyes as he looked at her. "Naomi?"

Sighing, she blinked a few times in an attempt to force the tears back. "It's not big deal. My aunt keeps telling me, ever since I was little, to give up my dreams and this life I have now. And now Sóra comes and is repeating this for me."

"What would she have you do?"

"Be married off and let some man take care of me while I become the perfect little housewife and have his kids." 

This was a big shock for him. He just could not picture Naomi happy in that kind of situation. She had a wild spirit and was best at where she was, helping others and being herself, not some man's slave. This bothered him greatly.

He shook his head and looked into her violet orbs. "You have a fire that burns within you, young miko. Do not go for anything lower then what you are. People turn to you for guidance and wisdom. Would you want to give that all up for a woman who does not seem to know anything about you?"

The look in her eyes told him she understood everything he had said and that they meant the world to her at that very moment. The sadness disappeared from her beautiful eyes as they sparkled due to the stars above. He could feel himself getting lost in her eyes.

She turned her head away, gaze returning to the village below. "Thank you Kurama. Those were the words I needed to hear."

He just nodded and sat back a bit. When did he become so comfortable here? Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her shiver a bit due to the cool air. Sighing, he reached over and pulled her towards him, covering her with his arms. It was a bold move he realized when he saw her blush. "You were shivering."

She relaxed in his arms and placed her head on his shoulder. He soon realized how good this felt to him. But why?

He did not know how long they stayed that way, but soon they got out of each other's embrace and headed back to the house. Naomi walked over to the couch, but he followed her. "It is not right for you to sleep on the couch. Use the room I occupy. I shall take the couch."

She immediately turned to him. "Oh no. I wouldn't feel comfortable taking your bed from you."

He moved closer to her and looked at her with certainty in his eyes. "Please, I insist."

After a few moments, Naomi agreed, smiling her thanks as she opened the doors and went inside, disappearing from his sight. Smiling to himself, he lay on the couch, which wasn't too uncomfortable. Looking up at the ceiling, he soon found himself so relaxed he drifted off to sleep.

~*~Gotta love the fluff. Anywho, sorry it took so long. And sorry for the child! I wanted to kill her as I was writing her. But she is important to the story, so she stays. Review please. Ja ne!~*~


	12. Chapter 12

~*~I'm having fun… you?~*~

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The gang all looked at the red haired demon at the conclusion of his story with the miko. None knew exactly what to say. What could you tell someone who had the person they loved kidnapped, leaving them helpless when they had sworn to protect them? Not much you can say to that.

Yusuke looked over Kurama. 'There's still something he's holding back, but this was a lot to say to begin with. We just have to give him some time.'

Botan thought over this information. "So this demon Natas is the one you believe is responsible?"

Kurama shook his head. "I know Natas is the one. That is why I must kill him."

Even Hiei nodded in agreement. This was something Kurama had to do. He would not be satisfied until the death of this demon. 'This miko better be worth all this trouble.'

After pouring out the story, Kurama felt somewhat drained but also relieved. They understood now his motives for fighting and agreed to help him anyway they could.

The day was coming to an end, causing all but two members of the team to head in for some sleep. Kurama looked out into the water below, but knew he was not alone. "Anything else you require, Hiei?" Turning around, he looked at his demon friend. Silently, Hiei walked over, hands in his pockets, and leaned against the railing. Without a word, Kurama took up his original position again, waiting until the smaller demon would break the silence between them. A few minutes passed until Hiei indeed broke the silence.

"What could possess you to have feelings for this miko?"

"Obviously you did not listen to what I had said."

The smaller demon looked at his teammate. "She's a miko. Mikos and demons are never to care for each other. This just shows your human self has taken over. You're losing the part of you that is demon."

Closing his eyes, Kurama took a deep breath. "It does not matter whether I am human or demon. The feelings would still be the same."

Pushing off of the railing, Hiei began to walk away. Without turning around, he had just one more comment to make. "Youko wouldn't have even been in the same room as one."

"You might think differently when you meet her, Hiei."

"Hmph." Hiei just walked down to the sleeping area below, leaving Kurama to his thoughts. 'I guess I'll have to check out this miko myself.'

Kurama stood out on deck, staring off into who knows where, letting his thoughts run away with him.

_~Flashback~_

_A few days had passed since he and Naomi had spoken at the hill. Now, he woke up early to watch her as she trained in the mornings, some days racing her to see just how fast she had become. Her speed was rapidly increasing, which impressed him greatly. 'She has a lot of pride in what she does.' Day after day, just by watching her, Kurama's respect for her grew even more._

_One day, he was looking around the forest for some herbs when he saw Naomi walking over to him. Kurama stood up and waited for her._

_"Kurama, there you are. I've been looking for you."_

_"Sorry, I thought I would find some herbs to take back with me when I return home." He thought he saw some sadness in her eyes for some reason, but as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. 'Strange…'_

_"Oh, help yourself to them. I was wondering if you'd like to come with me into town. A woman came by saying a demon was inhabiting her home. It should be a simple job, but I thought you might want to see other things besides the shrine while you're here."_

_He had thought about going into town before, but was unsure how the people there would react. 'I am a stranger here.' Thinking it over a bit, Kurama nodded. "Yes. A change of scenery might be nice. And please allow me to accompany you on this task."_

_Naomi gave him a look of curiosity. "Why?"_

_"You may require some assistance. You do not know what kind of demon it is. I would feel more comfortable knowing you will be safe."_

_A small blush appeared on her face as she agreed to his somewhat demand. Kurama nodded and went to put the herbs inside his room. Naomi waited patiently and when he returned, they set off down the path, through part of the forest and into the village. It was a good fifteen minute walk, but they enjoyed the nature around them and each other's company._

_Once arriving into town, Naomi led him towards the home of the woman. As they walked Kurama noticed the young females of the village looking at him strangely. "Naomi, why are they all staring at us?"_

_A smile grew on her face. "Well, technically, they're all looking at you."_

_The demon's eyes went wide as he looked at her. "Why?"_

_Her smile grew even larger. "Kurama, this is the first time I came into town with a male besides Haku, and they know him. You have this whole mysterious thing working for you. No one knows who you are. Heck, if a mysterious handsome stranger came walking into town, I'd look too."_

_Kurama could feel himself blushing a bit. He wasn't sure if it was because of what she had said or the fact that the girls were still looking. Raising an eyebrow, he noticed one in particular. 'I think that one just drooled.' _

_*Sweatdrop*_

_While all the staring was… flattering, Kurama quickened his steps until he basically collided with Naomi. She turned to him when she felt him run into her. "You alright?"_

_"My apologizes. I am not used to so many eyes on me."_

_The miko blinked a few times. "Ooooookay… umm, we're here."_

_Nodding, Kurama went with Naomi to the door and stood there as she knocked and waited for the owner to allow them to enter. A chill went up and down his spine. 'I can feel the demon's presence.' Naomi must have sensed it too, for she quickly reached for her bow and arrows._

_"Kurama, stay here. I'll go around back and check it out. The demon seems as if it's on the move." Without waiting for a response, Naomi moved towards the back, leaving Kurama guarding in the front. He reached over and slowly turned the knob. Surprisingly, the door was open, so he proceeded to go inside to hunt this demon causing so much trouble. 'Something is not right.'_

_Slowly, he made his way through the house, not really sensing the demon. Confused, he went towards the back of the house when he stopped dead in his tracks. 'They are in the back. I can tell. There is more then one.' Suddenly, it dawned on him. 'Naomi…'_

_As if on cue, a cry of pain was heard. Taking off at full speed, Kurama came upon a horrific scene. Naomi was lying on the ground, her arrows all broken into tiny little shreds. There was blood coming from her, but where he was not certain. Her face showed no fear, but her eyes showed great pain._

_The demon advanced at the girl still on the ground. "One less miko to worry about." He brought his fist down, but before making contact with her, Naomi rolled out of the way, something that definitely caused her pain. Getting up, she swayed a bit, but held her ground, staring at the demon in front of her. She smirked. "You think I could be killed that easily? Pathetic."_

_The demon growled at her and ran at her. Kurama revealed his rose whip and cracked in right in front of the demon. It was obvious to him Naomi would collapse at any moment. 'She is losing a lot of blood.' The demon turned to the red haired man. "This aint your fight. Get lost."_

_"Sorry, but I came with the lady. I have every intention of return with her as well." He positioned himself between the demon and Naomi, protecting her from any attacks._

_The demon just smirked. "Your funeral." He ran at Kurama, but our red haired demon was too quick for him. "Rose Whip." Just a few slashes were needed to finish off the demon, leaving it fallen on the ground. He turned to look for the other demon. 'He's around here… somewhere…'_

_The nearby bushes began to move, catching Kurama's attention. 'I think I have found my demon.' "Rose Whip." Sending the whip out, a small demon jumped out of the way and began to run. Kurama could hear something the demon mumbled. "I must tell Lord Natas."_

_'Natas?' Kurama was all set to chase after the little thing, but instead he had to catch Naomi, who had just collapsed. He held her in his arms, alarmed when he saw her eyes closed. 'She has passed out. There is too much blood coming out of her.' He picked her up bridal style and ran back to the shrine. "Hold on, Naomi. Just hold on."_

_He soon reached the shrine and ran into the house, flinging the door wide open and rushing into her room to lay her down. He noticed no one was home, so he had to save her on his own. 'Where is the blood coming from?'_

_Kurama quickly got some bandages from the bathroom and some other supplies from his room, like the herbs he had gotten that morning. Quickly, Kurama grounded it into a coating of some kind and brought it into her room.  He came in to see her uniform covered in blood. 'It looks like the injuries are in the shoulder and her side. Why do I feel like I have seen this before?' Shaking his head, he grabbed a towel from the bathroom to cover her *ahem* specific area and carefully pulled back the top part of her miko attire. To his surprise, she wore a white tank top beneath it. 'That's unexpected.' Kurama put the towel down and worked on her shoulder and then to her side. He rolled up the bottom of her shirt to see the wound, but not high enough to see anything private. 'It is a large wound.' So, he cleaned the area, applied some of the coating and bandaged it._

_When that was finished, he covered her with a blanket and got up to put everything away in its place. That was completed quickly, so he went back into her room with water and the rest of the medicine he prepared. He could hear her whimper something. Curious, Kurama went closer to her to listen._

_"No… stop… don't hurt…"_

_Kurama looked at her with sadness in his eyes. 'A nightmare.' He took her hand in his and she seemed to calm down a bit. Leaning close to her ear, Kurama whispered into it. "Do not worry, Naomi. I will be here to protect you. No one will hurt you anymore." The girl relaxed more and to his surprise, Kurama felt her hand tighten around his. He smiled down at Naomi as he got into a comfortable position beside her, still keeping their hands locked together. Kurama watched over her as she slept until he fell into a deep sleep as well. 'I will protect you, Naomi. I promise.'_

_~End of Flashback~_

Kurama woke up from his deep sleep. How he had gotten from the deck to his bed was a mystery, but his dream was from the past with her. 'That was when I first realized…' Sighing, he threw off the covers and went to find his teammates. To his surprise, he found them all up on deck already. 'Have I really slept in so late?'

Yusuke turned to him as he came up to them. "Kurama, bout time you got up. Look there." 

Kurama did as Yusuke demanded and saw what they had been sailing for. "Himura Island."

Yusuke smiled and placed a hand on Kurama's shoulder. "We're almost there. You'll find her soon."

A smile was all Kurama could give. Soon the boat would dock and the real fight would begin.

~*~I need sleep now. Night night! Ja ne!~*~


	13. Chapter 13

~*~There is a reason why I'm writing and updating like mad. You'll find out later though. Until then… REVIEW DAMN IT!! I'm okay…~*~

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He felt a great weight on him as he slowly opened his eyes. Groaning, he found out why. "Would you get off of me child?" The girl smiled and climbed off of his stomach, but stayed right by him with this weird grin on her face. That grin of hers both annoyed and worried him. "What?"

The girl shook her head, but kept smiling. Raising an eyebrow at her, he sat up and stared at her with eyes that could make any demon confess to anything. The girl looked back at him… and soon cracked.

"Well, it's just after last night I think you answered my question."

His eyes went wide as he recalled last night. After a brief moment, they narrowed as he focused on the creature smiling at him. Before he could say anything though, Naomi walked into the room. "Good morning you two. Sóra, I hope you didn't bother Kurama while he slept, did you?" The girl shook her head and ran into the kitchen for breakfast, leaving the two older people alone.

The miko turned to the demon on her couch. "Let me guess. She sat on top of your stomach while you were asleep?" He just nodded as she smiled. "Yeah, she's been doing that ever since she was little."

"She's still little."

"Okay, since she was smaller. It only means she likes you."

He groaned as he picked himself off the couch. "Suddenly I wish she liked me a whole lot less." Naomi just smiled and headed into the kitchen to make sure Sóra didn't destroy anything, er I mean, to make breakfast.

After eating and cleaning the entire kitchen, thanks to a certain little girl, Naomi took Sóra back outside to let loose her energy where there wasn't anything breakable. Before running off, Sóra handed a piece of paper to the miko, then ran towards the forest area. "Sóra, stay where I can see you." 

He watched as she opened the folded piece of paper. For some reason, a blush formed on her cheeks and she folded it back up again. He walked over to her with a curious look on his face. "Something wrong?"

She smiled and handed him the paper. "Something tells me a certain little girl wasn't asleep last night."

Confused, he took the paper and opened it. It was a drawing of the two of them as they were last night when he pulled her to him… for warmth. He felt some heat on his face and handed it back to the young miko.

"Quite the artist, isn't she?" She smiled, shaking her head. "I think she approves of you. She hasn't drawn any other besides those close to her. I guess you should feel honored."

"Why do you know so much about her?"

"I've known her all of her life. She's my cousin."

Oh, that shocked him greatly. "You are related to that… child?"

To his surprise, Naomi laughed. "Guilty as charged. She comes here every so often to give me updates on Seiryo."

"Who is that?"

Naomi looked away from him, sadness apparent in her eyes. "My little brother."

This confused him greatly. "I thought you said your family was killed."

"Well, my parents were killed. My brother was too young to remember. Remember I told you a demon saved me from harm? I had my little brother with me. He was just a baby. I couldn't take care of him, so my aunt offered to take him. I was fine here though, so now and then, they would all come by. Lately, there has been no time, so Sóra comes."

"Why does Seiryo not visit?"

"He's grown up with Sóra as his sister."

Shaking his head, he questioned her. "I don't understand."

Sighing, she sat down on the back steps, watching Sóra play. "He was just a baby when it happened. That was seven years ago. I was fifteen, barely able to keep the shrine, let alone raise my younger brother. So my aunt took him in. I thought it would be easier if he thought she was his mother and Sóra was his sister. That way he didn't have to remember the past and not feel as if he was pushed away. I did it so he could have a normal life."

He sat down beside her, in awe of what she had said. 'She sacrifices so much for the greater good of others. Yet it never seems enough to them.' Looking over at her, something had to be questioned. "But what about you? Do you not feel like you are missing something?"

She shrugged. "It's better for him."

"Does he not deserve to know the truth?"

Turning her head back to the child, her eyes seemed focused. She slowly got up and waked over to the forest area. "Sóra! I told you not to go too deep in there. Why don't you got get your paints and go out to the hill with me?"

The young girl smiled and ran inside the house, quickly grabbed her things, and ran back out to meet the miko to head out to the hill. Naomi turned to him. "Would you like to join us? I have to find some more herbs while she paints, but you could come to relax."

He knew the subject of her brother was closed, not to be talked about again. Sighing, he got up and followed them. 'There might be demons around. They will need some protection.'

The walk to the hill was too quiet, an uncomfortable silence. Sóra set up her things after getting comfortable and began her task as Naomi went to a close by tree line to look for any herbs. After thinking for a bit, he jumped up and proceeded to sit in a tree. 'I will be able to watch over them this way. Plus it adds the element of surprise to any enemies.'

He could see Sóra content with her painting, amazed at the fact someone so young had such artistic skills. He could tell painting was her strong suit, but the pencil drawing was excellent as well. Just remembering the picture caused a smile to form on his lips. He was grateful at that moment he was high in the trees so Naomi couldn't question him.

Speaking of Naomi, he looked to see her going deeper into the forest, looking for a specific herb. Silently, he followed from the safety of the trees, to make sure she would be okay, but he stopped when he heard a certain annoying young voice call to him. 

"Kurama?" Rolling his eyes, he went back to see what Sóra needed. He jumped down near her then looked down at her. "What is it?"

"I was just wondering what you thought of it?" She pointed to her painting. He was very impressed by her skills, but just nodded.

"It is very good. When did you learn to do this?"

"Well, mom said I wasn't allowed to do any more painting or drawing because a man doesn't want a skilled wife. I don't get to do this stuff until she leaves or when I come here. Naomi-sama and Seiryo are the only ones that let me do this stuff. In fact, Naomi-sama allows me to keep all my things here and actually encourages me to keep up my passion."

His eyes went a bit wide as he nodded. 'So she allows the girl to express herself against her mother's wishes. Very impressive.'

The girl smiled at him and went back to her painting. Taking the silent hint, he went back into the trees. 'Naomi has not come back yet.' Taking another look back to make sure Sóra was okay, he quickly went into the forest, looking for the young miko. 'She had to have found herbs by now.'

After a few minutes of searching, he heard a soft sound. Not quite sure what it was, he followed it and came across the one he had been seeking. He found her collapsed onto the ground, her head bowed and face cupped with her hands. Listening carefully, he could hear her crying softly, perhaps so no one would hear her.

For some reason, he felt his heart break for her. He did not like seeing her in this position of despair. He quickly jumped down from the tree he was in and walked over to her, kneeling beside her and placing a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, tear stains on her face. With a slight pause, she then buried her face into his chest and cried her eyes out. Stiff at first, he relaxed and put his arms around her, allowing the young woman to cry until she had no more tears left.

They sat that way, silent except for the miko's tears, for awhile, until Naomi pulled back slightly, but not enough so he had to let her go. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

"No. There is no need to apologize." He kept his arms around her and was a bit surprised when she rested her head against his chest. He did not want to push her and ask why she was in such great pain. 'It would only bring more tears.'

"It was seven years ago today." He looked down at her with some confusion. She continued. "We were on our way back from the village. My mother was carrying Seiryo while I was on my father's back, a piggy back ride. Suddenly, my father stopped and put me on the ground slowly. My mother had a look of panic on her face as well as she handed my brother to me. They both told me to run as fast as I could back to the shrine and put the sealing scrolls around the house. I didn't understand, but I eventually started to head off. I heard my mother cry out and I made the mistake of looking back. My mother was on the ground, blood pouting out of her lifeless body. My father was fighting back against one demon, when a taller, eviler looking one came out of the shadows. He slowly walked up to my father, said something to him I could not hear, then place a hand on his shoulder. As soon as he took his hand away, my father started crying out in such horrible pain and fell to the ground. His body started to twitch around until the skin turned to ash. My father was killed in front of my eyes. I held my brother closer to me and ran when that demon looked my way. I could hear him coming closer to me, but soon felt arms around me, quickly pushing me into a new direction. It was so quick if you had blinked, you would not have seen it. I could not feel the ground beneath me as I saw the scenery around me whiz by. Eventually, we stopped and I saw who had saved my life. It was a female demon. Of what kind, I do not know. She knelt down beside me. She told me how sorry she was for my loss but I was to survive until I was stronger. She made it sound like I had this great feat to accomplish. We waited a long time before going home. I put my brother in his cradle and hurried to collect my parents' bodies. The demon assisted me with burying them. She stayed with me and Seiryo until she thought we would be alright. I do remember before I was taken by her the smaller demon calling the taller one Natas. That has been my only clue. I do not know who this demon is or why he had decided to take them from me. I did not want Seiryo to grow up with no family, so I asked my aunt to take care of him and tell him he was theirs until the day of my death, if I should leave before him. She insisted on letting him think I was their cousin, so I would see him now and then. It grew too painful, for he was growing up looking so much like my father. Now, only Sóra comes and just tells me how he is. They all know the truth but him. It's for his own protection. I decided to carry the pain myself, sparing him from it. I know I'm doing the right thing, but it just hurts. I am never to see him grow up, never to hear him call me sister. I can not go to my mother for guidance or her wisdom. I can not go to my father for strength. It has all been taken away and this day reminds me of it. Every year I break down on this day. It hurts so much."

Her tears had begun to flow again towards the middle of her story, but poured out by the end. He just continued to hold her close, silently hoping to take away her pain. She had gone through so much all alone. He didn't want her to continue to live through that. All he could do for now was hold her in his arms and let her cry. 'I'll make you pay for this Natas. I swear it.'

~*~I figure that's a good place to stop it. Don't want to ruin the moment. Anyway, now you know her story basically. Oh, just letting you know, all those people who leave me long reviews, totally love em! They just make me so very happy that you like this so much. Well, I have the next chapter written already, so I might post that in a few. We shall see. Ja ne!~*~


	14. Chapter 14

~*~So, they finally see the island. What do you think will happen? Read and find out.~*~

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Taking a deep breath, Kurama and the others walked down the plank and onto Himura Island. It was indeed a beautiful island. It was a shame such evil dominated. Botan looked around for any signs that would tell them what they were to do next. "Look over there guys." They all looked at where she was pointing to find a wooden sign. On the top in bold letters were the words "Challengers from the Outside."

The gang went closer to read the actual words on it. "Welcome to Himura Island, the last land you will see before your death. There are a few rules which you must follow in order to qualify to fight in the semi-tournament. Immediately following the reviewing of these rules, you shall go about a half mile to your left. There is where you will be tested to see if you are indeed worthy of this challenge. You must be in a group of at least four in order to even try. If you pass the test, you will be shown to the village where you shall stay until your appointed match time. Usually this will be two weeks after the trial. Make good use of this time. After the two week period, you will battle other teams until the last surviving team stands. If that is your team, you may select your strongest man to fight against Himura Island's ruler himself. These fights will be one on one. The victory will be granted whatever they desire. Death is your only way home, unless you win. This is your last chance to leave while still alive."

Botan stepped back from reading the sign out loud. "Well, isn't that a nice welcome."

Yusuke began to walk in the direction the trial was to be. "Well, let's get started. The sooner we end this, the sooner we can go home." He turned to look at Kurama. "All of us."

Kurama smiled and nodded, heading off towards the trial as well. After walking for the half mile, they soon saw this small ring area. There were other fighters waiting for the test as well. As they reached the area, a man in an official looking outfit came out. "Now that everyone has finally arrived, the trial will now begin. All swordsmen please go to the black area, Spirit weapons in the blue area, martial artist in the white area and the rest go into the red area. There should be one team member in each area."

Hiei, without hesitation, moved toward the swordsmen area. Kurama spoke. "I guess I should go into the red area. Will you two both enter the blue or the white?"

Yusuke and Kuwabara looked at each other. "Well, what do you think?"

Kuwabara thought for a moment. "Well, I think I should go into the martial artist area. I am the number one fighter after all."

*Sweatdrop*

"Riiight. That's why I keep beating you up, right?"

"Shut up Urameshi! You're spirit gun is more powerful then my spirit swords anyway."

"Well, that's true. I'll go in the blue area then."

After deciding, they went to their respective areas and waited for more instructions. 

"Alright, you have all received or will receive a number from one of the other officials right now." While he spoke, four people were walking through handing out numbers. "When I call out your number, the fight will begin. The winner of the fight will move on. The team with the most wins will advance. If there is a tie, then a battle will take place between one fighter from each team. We shall start with the swordsmen."

Kurama watched from his area. 'This is not only a trial, but a way for everyone to see the other teams. That way they will take in each person's strengths and weaknesses.'

After a few battles, Hiei was called to fight. Unsheathing his sword, he prepared himself for battle. 'This guy looks like an amateur. I should be done with this garbage rather quickly.' The signal was given and within a minute the fight was over. Hiei had wasted no time in slicing up the guy with eighteen different slashes. 

"Alright, out of the swordsmen, the following will go on if their teammates can win as well. Matsu, Twilight Sazuka, Shishio, Hiei, and Lin. The next set of matches will be with the blue area, spirit weapons."

Hiei smirked. 'That was too simple. I can't understand why they let women into this though. They only really won because the other idiots were just staring at them. Pathetic.'

The area was cleared and then set for the next round of fighting. After two battles, Yusuke finally stepped up. "I'm going to make this rather quick, if you don't mind."

The opponent smirked. "Glad to see you aren't too confident. Bring it on."

The fight began and after a good five minutes, Yusuke used his spirit gun and hit the guy dead center. "Winner, Yusuke."

A few more battles went on until the final one was done. "The winners are as follows: Yusuke, Mizuki, Honda, Jin, and Atsumori. Next will be the white area, martial arts."

So far the teams were pretty matched. Kuwabara stepped forward and prepared himself to fight. The guy was about the same height and looked eager to get started. The fight began and after taking quite a few hits to the head, Kuwabara landed his last punch in the guy's face, causing him to fall to the ground. "Winner, Kuwabara." He smiled and went back to the area. "The winners are as follows: Ashia, Kuwabara, Yuka, Kye, and Touya. The final battles will be with the red area."

Hiei watched as the official began to pick who would go when. 'So far most of the teams are together. Kurama better win this. It's the only guarantee.'

Kurama was called to fight and looked at his smaller opponent. "You must understand I have no choice but to defeat you."

"You can try, girly. By the time I'm done with you, you'll lose that pretty hair of yours… along with your head."

Kurama sighed. "If you insist." He took out his rose and transformed it into a whip. The battle began and within seconds, Kurama had defeated the man. "That was not too challenging."

After waiting a few more minutes, the winners were declared. "The following will be advancing to the next round of fights that will take place in two weeks time. The team of Twilight Sazuka, Mizuki, Ashia, and Sango. The team of Yusuke, Hiei, Kuwabara, and Kurama. The team of Honda, Matsu, Yuka and Sachi. The team of Lin, Jin, Touya and Juri. And the team of Shishio, Atsumori, Kye, and Satsuki. You will be able to find rooms for yourselves in the village about one mile that way. The people are ordered to let you reside in their homes. Remember, use your time wisely and good luck to you all."

With that, the teams reformed and headed towards the village. Kuwabara was bragging about his fight when Hiei made some snit remark, causing a new verbal fight. Yusuke and Botan tried to break it up while Kurama went into yet another flashback.

_~Flashback~_

_Kurama had woken up later that night to find a tray of food and some water near by as well as a note. It was from Sóra saying that she heard what had happened and was very thankful he was able to take good care of her. He smiled to himself and eyed the food on the tray. But his vision wasn't completely on the food. They shifted over to where Naomi was laying… or rather where she was supposed to be._

_Kurama got up quickly and began looking around the house for the injured miko. When he was unable to find her, he thought about where she would possibly go. 'The hill…' Without thinking twice, he raced over to her favorite spot and let loose a sigh of relief when he spotted her there in her white robe. (A/N: if you've seen the second movie with the Netherworld demons and such, think of what Botan was wearing)_

_Slowly, he walked up to her. "You shouldn't be up and out already. Your wounds are severe."_

_Naomi looked up at him. "I know. But please join me?"_

_Sighing, Kurama sat beside her, looking at the forest separating them from the village. Part of him was mad for her just taking off, but another part was just glad she was alright._

_"Thank you Kurama." He looked at her, but she had more to say. "You saved my life today. I had no idea there was more then one there. He must have concealed himself very well. I knew I would have died if that demon had attacked me. You came in just in time."_

_Kurama looked at her more closely. "I only regret not being able to assist you earlier. You should not have gotten so hurt. I was worried…"_

_She shook her head. "It's alright. I've had injuries before, but it seemed different today. I'm glad you were there to protect me. It was a very brave thing to do."_

_Lifting his hand to her face, Kurama turned Naomi so she was facing him. Their eyes locked. "I will always be there to protect you, Naomi."_

_Violet eyes crashed with emerald ones as emotions ran through them both. Kurama felt himself drawn to her, bringing himself closer and closer to her. Ever so slowly, he pressed his lips against hers. They were soft and warm, filling Kurama with a strange warmth inside him. To his surprise, he felt her kiss him back with an equal amount of emotion._

_They stayed that way until they had to breathe, pulling away from each other. Kurama looked into her eyes to see acceptance and joy. Both of them were blushing while sitting there, unsure of what to do next._

_"I apologize if I have offended you, Naomi."_

_"No. You didn't offend me. I…" She looked down and a red tint was added to her cheeks. "I enjoyed it."_

_Kurama's blush deepened as he pulled her head up. "As did I." He smiled at her, then picked her up bridal style again. She was shocked by this sudden move and wrapped her arms around his neck._

_"What are you doing?"_

_"Getting you back into bed.__ Your wounds are not healed yet. I would be set at ease if I knew you were resting." His smile grew softer as he looked at her. Naomi looked so innocent and fragile to him at that moment in his arms._

_She did not protest and let Kurama take her back to the shrine and into the futon. After pulling the blanket up to her chin, he then turned to leave, but felt a hand grab his arm. "Kurama?"_

_He turned his attention back to the miko. "What is it?"_

_"I… umm… well, what happens now?" Kurama looked at her and knew she was referring to the kiss. _

_"Right now, you get some sleep. We can talk about this in the morning." A nod was all he got from her as Naomi snuggled into her bed and closed her eyes to sleep. He smiled as she soon drifted into a deep sleep and stood up to leave the room. He made his way back to his own room and fell onto its comfortable mattress. Sighing, Kurama got up and changed, then crawled into bed himself. His hand went to his lips. They were still warm from the kiss._

_His smile grew as he soon drifted off to sleep, a certain female on his mind._

_~End of Flashback~_

Kurama snapped out of his daydream when he noticed they were at the village. It was small, but quaint. The people looked as though nothing else in the world mattered, kind faces on each one of them.

The team walked down the hill and into the village. Botan began thinking out loud. "Okay, so we are supposed to stay at some kind of Inn or with a person in the village. I wonder who."

Looking across the crowd, Kurama's eyes went wide with shock as he took in a sharp breath. Yusuke noticed this and followed the demon's line of vision. There not even twenty feet in front of them was a beautiful woman with dark brown hair and intense violet eyes. She had a smile on her face as she conversed with a villager. Her attire was that of a miko.

He turned to the demon who was still in shock. "That's her, isn't it Kurama?" He knew it was her without Kurama having to tell him. 'She looks exactly like her picture.'

Kuwabara, being the idiot that he is, looked over as well. "Gah! _That's_ your girlfriend, Kurama?? She's a totally hottie!"

*Sweatdrop*

Yusuke sent Kuwabara an evil glare and then looked at Kurama. "Well, what are you going to do about it? She's right there."

Kurama continued to stare, unsure of what to do. 'I have been looking for so long. Now what do I do?' Taking a deep breath, Kurama walked toward the girl slowly, not wanting to scare her off for some reason.

At this point, Hiei finally looked over to the girl. 'She seems like a regular human, despite her miko abilities. I'll just have to keep an eye on her.'

Botan was getting very excited for Kurama. "This is great! He finally found her."

"Shut up Botan. You want everyone to know?"

"Well, excuse me Yusuke!"

Meanwhile, Kurama had come up behind her. She must not have noticed him for she didn't turn around. Clearing his throat, Kurama collected all his courage and addressed her. "Naomi?"

"Un?" (A/N: kinda like "Yeah?") The girl turned to face him, blinking in a bit of surprise. Seeing her face entirely, Kurama knew it was her. His search was finally over. Standing right before him was the one that had consumed his thoughts and dreams since the day they met. Kurama didn't know if he could be any happier.

She continued to look at him in confusion. "I'm sorry. Do I know you?"

Kurama looked at her with disbelief. He could suddenly feel his whole world crashing down around him. He could see pure confusion in her eyes, knowing she was serious. 'She does not remember me.' He shook his head. "My apologizes. You look very much alike someone I knew."

The miko looked at him with some sadness in her eyes. "I'm sorry. You must be one of the new fighters. Did your team find a place to stay yet?" He could only shake his head, fearing his own voice. "Well, why don't you all come and stay at the shrine. There aren't that many rooms, but I think the Inn is all full by now."

Kurama nodded. "That would be wonderful. Thank you."

She smiled. "I didn't know fighters could be gentlemen as well. Interesting. Please, gather your team and follow me. I have to get back soon."

Nodding, he went back to the group who wasn't too far away, the miko staying where she was waiting for them. When he got to them, Yusuke was the first to speak. "Well, what did she say?"

Kurama couldn't look at him. "We have permission to stay at her shrine during the tournament."

Botan looked at him confused. "What did she say when she saw you?"

Hiei could see Kurama was upset, but knew why. He had used the Jagan to see what happened between the two. 'This will be interesting then.'

Yusuke watched his friend. "What happened, Kurama?"

Sighing, he answered them. "She does not remember me."

Everyone but Hiei was shocked with this news. "How could she not know you?"

"I do not know, Botan. But we better follow her. She is offering her home to us to use for our stay here. Let us go then." With that, he turned and headed back to where she stood waiting. The others all followed with sadness surrounding them. 

Naomi stood there and smiled when they all came. "Hello. I am Naomi, the miko of the village. Please, follow me to the shrine. I'm sure you are quite tired after the trial immediately after a long boat ride." With that, she turned and headed towards a small forest area. The team all followed, one filled with more sadness then ever before. 'She does not remember me. What did you do, Natas?'

~*~GOMEN!!!! I'm so sorry for torturing my honey, but it had to be done for the sake of the story!!! Anywho, reviews are nice. What to give me some? Cool! Ja ne!~*~


	15. Chapter 15

~*~Hey guys. Sorry, I kind of forgot to update. GOMEN!!!! I'm been kind of busy lately, the whole college thing. Anyway, here's your update! GO READ NOW!~*~

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When they got back to the shrine, he could smell something nearby. Turning to Naomi, he told her only three words. "Someone is coming."

She thought for a minute, then her eyes went wide. "Sóra, give me your supplies. Your mother is coming." The two females worked quickly hiding the younger one's art work and washing her hands that were covered in paint. Straightening her hair, Sóra walked quickly toward the door, Naomi close behind. Before getting the door though, she turned to him. "You might want to head into your room. My aunt is not as… understanding as Sóra and myself."

Taking the not so subtle hint, he nodded and headed quickly towards the room he had acquired. He heard Naomi open the door and greet the woman, who just asked for the young girl. None of this concerned him, that is, until the woman made a different kind of comment. The woman told Sóra to head to the steps and wait for her, then apparently addressed the miko.

"Naomi, why don't you stop this silly idea of yours and come home with me? I have found a boy who is willing to court you. He is financially secure and will make a very good husband. That's all you really need. For your comfort, all you have to do is supply one or two children, preferably sons."

This angered him so very much. How dare this woman degrade Naomi like that? It took all his self control not to go out there and tear this woman apart. He suddenly heard Naomi reply.

"That won't be necessary. I am very happy living my life following in the footsteps of my parents. Besides, I might have found someone already who respects me for me, not for how many sons I could give him."

A snort came from the aunt. "Oh. You mean that filthy demon? Oh please, Naomi. Open your eyes! Your parents were slaughtered by a demon. This male will probably do the same. All those creatures are scum, not to be trusted. You should just destroy it while you have the chance."

His anger was rising but was amazed at the anger in the miko's voice.

"How dare you! You don't even know him. Don't you dare say anything disrespectful about him. He saved my life! You don't want to even try to know him for the person he is on the inside. You just see a demon and immediately think of ways to have him killed."

"Which is the way it should be. Demons should not exist in this world. They are all hateful and are plotting how to eliminate us all."

"Not all demons. Kurama is not like that. He's good and kind and gentle."

"Wake up Naomi! He's using you until he doesn't need you. Then that filth will throw you aside. Get rid of that garbage before it's too late and he gets you pregnant with his child. Who knows, maybe you're putting out for him now."

A loud slap was heard throughout the house. He was amazed. 'Did she just slap her aunt?' Listening closely, he could hear her still. Her voice was dangerously low.

"Never, ever say that again. You better not be teaching my brother these ideas. If you are, then I promise you I will come there and rip your throat out with my own hands. Leave now before I lose all my self control."

He could hear the woman's quick footsteps retreating, leaving before the miko followed through with what she had said. The door then slammed and footsteps could be heard heading for the back. The back door opened then closed as the miko left the house.

For some reason, he decided to follow her, part of him actually worried. 'Her aunt said a lot of things that upset her.' He went to the one place he knew she would go… to the hill. When he got there, he saw the proud miko with her legs up to her chest and her head resting upon her knees. Silently, he sat down beside her.

"You alright?"

The miko paused before answering. "I'm sorry you had to hear all that."

He shook his head. "I'm not concerned with that. Are you alright?"

It was Naomi's turn to shake her head. Tears looked just about ready to fall from her violet eyes. "I can't believe she thought I…"

An arm slowly wrapped around her shoulders, giving off comfort and support. She looked at the demon beside her, golden eyes reflecting concern and anger. "It doesn't matter. We know the truth. I have a feeling Sóra will be the one to teach Seiryo the right path, not her." Seeing the miko was still upset, he took a deep breath. "Naomi, I have no doubt in your character. Don't have any about yourself."

Her eyes widened as a blush spread on her face. "Thank you, Kurama."

"Naomi-sama? Are you there?"

The two on the hill quickly moved a bit away from each other as a dark haired girl with big brown eyes came up to them with a tall man with glasses followed. Naomi smiled at the two.

"Rei. Shino. What do I owe the honor of this visit?" He relaxed a bit when he saw she knew them, but not even in case they were here as a threat.

Rei smiled at them. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if you could help us with something. You see, Shino's mother doesn't believe I love him like I say I do. She demands some kind of proof, so I though you would know how to give her some. She respects you after all."

Naomi stood up and headed towards the shrine. "Come with me. There is a ritual I can perform to see if there is the red string between you two." The two teens followed the miko, when Naomi turned. "Kurama, could you come as well? It calls for a witness."

Slowly getting up, he silently followed them all, knowing the couple was uncomfortable having a demon so close.

When they all got to the shrine, he stood off to the side, close enough to see, but far enough away to make the teens more comfortable. Naomi was going over the ritual. "I will have to go into a somewhat trance and call upon a large amount of power. A great light will generate, filling up the entire area. The witness has to keep his eyes open, but the subjects and myself must have our eyes shut. At the end, your eyes will be opened and in my hands will appear a rose of a specific color. Depending on the color will be what kind of love you two share. If no rose is produced, then there is no string at all between you two. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

The two teens nodded and closed their eyes at her command. She looked over at him, a questioning look on her face. He just nodded, signaling everything was okay and he was ready.

Naomi closed her eyes and silently began a chant. Her hands were moving in a specific pattern, going from the girl to the boy. Suddenly, her arms went straight up and a huge light engulfed them all. As the droplets of light floated down, a red string was seen on the fingers of the couple, signifying there was indeed a love connection. He looked down and was shocked to find a string around his own finger. 'That's weird.' His eyes followed where the string could possibly lead. At the end of the string was Naomi.

'What?!? When?!? No, no this wasn't supposed to happen. Something must be wrong.' Even though he kept telling himself this over and over again, when he looked at her, a small voice deep inside told him there was truth to the matter.

Naomi lowered her arms and held her hands in front of her in a closed cupping position. The two in front of her opened their eyes as her chanting came to a close. Slowly, as she opened her own violet eyes, her hands opened to reveal a red rose. She smiled at them. "You have a very passionate love. Nurture it and it will thrive into something greater. This is a symbol of the bond between you two. Take it in remembrance as well as proof that you have been tried."

Rei smiled. "Thank you so much Naomi-sama." Shino bowed slightly and took Rei's hand as they ran back into town, the rose with them.

Naomi smiled at them. "Every time I do that ritual, I get a bit jealous of the lovers. Deep down I think I shall never find the one that I am tied to. During the ritual, all the strings are revealed, no matter if the loved one is far away." She suddenly started to feel a bit weak and would have collapsed to the floor, but felt two strong arms support her instead.

He had run over and caught her before the ground claimed her. "You alright?"

"I'll be fine. I just need to rest a bit." Trying to support herself, Naomi looked as if she was going to fall again. Without thinking twice, he picked her up and carried her over to the house and placed her on her futon, pulling the blanket up to her chin. Her eyelids had closed during the walk and he had felt her shift in his arms for a more comfortable position, which happened to be closer to his chest. When he got her in bed, she was fast asleep. His eyes softened as he looked at her, all thoughts escaping him.

Eventually, he got up and left the room, leaving the miko to rest in peace. One thing still left him with an uneasy feeling. 'Why was there a red string between us?'

~*~That's all for now. I might add more later, but I'm extremely tired at the moment. I'd really like more reviews for this. If not, I might just take it off the site. So if you know people who might like this, please tell them to read it. Remember, reviews are wonderful little things. Ja ne!~*~


	16. Chapter 16

~*~Okay, I'm back now. I don't know when I'll update again. This fic isn't going as well as I thought it would… But here's your chapter.~*~

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The walk to the shrine wasn't as quiet as one would imagine. Naomi filled the time asking questions, like who they were and why they had entered this little tournament. "All the fighters have some reason. What brings you all here?"

Botan quickly answered. "Well, actually we're here on a special assignment." Yusuke smack her upside the head. "Ow! What was that for?"

Leaning in to whisper in her ear, Yusuke replied. "Do you think it's a good idea to tell her about Spirit World and all?"

Botan thought for a moment. "Well, she is a miko. What harm could it do?" She turned back to the violet eyed woman before her. "See, Yusuke here is a spirit detective and is here to stop a demon called Natas from taking over the human world."

The miko froze where she stood and hatred filled her eyes. "You're here to stop Natas?" When she received a nod, Naomi kept walking. "Then I'll do everything I can to help you."

This startled the group a bit, but they kept their questions to themselves as they walked. It grew quiet after that until they climbed the final steps of the shrine. Kurama could only stare. 'It is almost exactly like the old one.' Keeping that thought to himself, he followed Naomi into the house.

"Okay, I guess Botan can stay in my room with me. Hope you don't mind sharing. I guess Yusuke and Kuwabara can share the other room. I'm sorry to say I only have two rooms." She turned to Kurama. "Do you think you and Hiei can share the living room? I have the futons just not the room."

Her violet eyes looked at him, somehow making Kurama turn away from her. "It will be fine. Thank you." Curiosity filled her eyes, questioning why he looked away, but shook it off and moved to get the bedding required, Botan following to assist her. 

Yusuke turned to Kurama. "Why don't you just tell her? It would a lot easier if you did."

"I cannot do that, Yusuke. It would be wrong to tell her something she might not feel anymore. I will not do that to her."

"This is pointless." All eyes turned to Hiei at that comment. "What's the point of saving someone if they don't even know what they would be going back to? We should just leave her here."

"No, I cannot allow that. Natas is a very dangerous demon. I would rather have her home and not remembering me then leave her here." Kurama was very adamant about Naomi leaving this place. Hiei just narrowed his eyes and looked away. The girls came out with a futon for each demon. "You can keep them in the closet when you're not using them. I apologize, but this place wasn't meant for a lot of people."

"It is quite alright. We are just thankful you offered your home to us." Naomi smiled at him, causing a small blush to appear on his face. Kurama looked away though before she could notice. 'She still has that affect on me.'

"Well, I'll go make you all some dinner and then we can call it a day."

Hiei had other plans. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd rather keep perfecting my skills."

The miko turned to him. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Well, it's a good thing you aren't me then." Hiei continued to head out the door.

"Well, then I guess you don't want to beat Natas. He knows everyone is going to practice their skills so he has spies everywhere so he can steal your moves and use them against you." Seeing them all stare at her with confusion, she sighed. "Here. Put this on. It will conceal your spirit energy so he won't be able to find you since you insist on improving yourself." Naomi pulled out a salmon pink scarf like belt from the closet and handed it to him.

Hiei looked at it and smirked. "Sorry. It doesn't go with my outfit."

Naomi sighed. "Alright then. Let Natas and his underlings steal every move you've spent your entire life perfecting. That will really help you beat him."

Hiei growled at the woman, but grabbed the scarf thing as he left the house. Naomi smiled, shook her head and went to make dinner. "Botan, can you help me?"

"Oh, sure Naomi. I'd be glad to." Botan then skipped off towards the kitchen, leaving the three other men in the living room. Kuwabara practically fell onto the couch.

"Ah man. This was on long day. So what do you think the other fighters are doing?"

"Probably eating dinner, stupid." Yusuke shook his head at the idiot on the couch. This then proceeded into a verbal argument. Kurama, choosing not to get involved, just looked out the window, daydreaming if you will.

_~Flashback~_

_It was early in the morning when he woke. Kurama just couldn't sleep very well that night. A certain event kept playing in his head, an event he didn't want to forget. A smile formed on his lips and he practically sprung out of bed, ready to face the day… and Naomi. A thought struck him at that moment. 'What if she regrets it?' Shaking his head, Kurama got dressed and headed down stairs for breakfast._

_He was a bit shocked to only see two people sitting at the table. He sent a questioning look to Sóra, who just smiled. "One of the villagers came by around 4am in need of her help. Something about a demon leaving something in her yard. She left a note saying where she was." The older woman smiled again. "She also left a note for you, Kurama. It's on the counter."_

_Walking over to the said area, he saw a folded up piece of paper with his name on it. Kurama took it, excused himself from breakfast and went out the front, note in hand. Once outside, he opened the letter and read:_

**_Kurama,_**

**_ I know you are probably doubting what happened last night, whether I regretted it or not. I meant what I said. I have no regrets about it. I had to go into town, as Sóra has probably told you, but I should be back soon. We can talk about this then if you wish. Again, I have no regrets about it._**

**_~Naomi_**__

_Kurama put down the letter, a smile on his face. Shaking his head, he headed to the back yard to relax and wait somewhat impatiently while she was away. 'I have not felt this way before.' Suddenly, a weird image came into his mind. He had been injured and fell against a tree, hoping to conceal himself to treat his wounds. The world around him was getting fuzzy and slowly turning dark. Before going completely dark, he saw a woman come by, checking on his wounds. Her violet eyes showed so much concern for him and then his world went black._

_A hand went to his head as Kurama thought this over. 'What was that? An old memory maybe? Why would it be suppressed though? There must be a reason.'_

_He didn't have time to ponder this, for Kurama soon could smell the sweet young miko's scent. A smile suddenly burst onto his face as he got up to head over to her. Naomi walked toward the back before he could go meet her. For some reason, she looked very distressed. Worry was etched all over her face, making him very uneasy. "Naomi?"_

_She walked past him and headed directly to the hill, Kurama at her feet. 'There is something very wrong. What could have happened?' He waited until she reached her destination and sat down. "What's wrong?"_

_The miko just shook her head, staring off down to the village below. Her silence was starting to scare him greatly. "Naomi?" He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "Tell me what happened."_

_Her eyes suddenly focused on where she was and who she was talking to. Tears started to form in the corner of her eyes as Naomi looked at him. "Kurama, it was horrible." The tears started to run down her face. She tried to stop them by closing her eyes tightly, but to no avail. Kurama took her into his arms, trying to soothe her. He waited until she finished crying and then asked again what happened._

_"One of the women of the village came by all hysterical about a demon. I calmed her, wrote the notes and left, thinking this shouldn't take too long. She lives on the other side of town, so I tried asking her what happened. She just shook her head, saying she couldn't explain it. She took me to the back and showed me what she had found. There, in her yard, was her entire family, violently slaughtered, blood and body parts everywhere. So deformed you couldn't tell who was who. But, the worst part was someone arranged the pieces to write something, a message. It said 'this is your only warning, Naomi.' Then, in blood, was a signature. Natas." Her body started to shake again as she recalled this horrific visual. "He's coming for me. Oh gods, I'm so scared." _

_Naomi buried her head in her hands as she cried. Kurama held her close, so much anger in his eyes they looked almost red. "Do not worry, Naomi. I'm here to protect you. I promise I will." He continued to try to console her, but with little to no progress. She was scared out of her mind. Through her fits of tears, she told him she helped the woman collect the pieces and bury them, offering a prayer for each individual. Naomi had told the woman she would be back to help clean the blood, telling her this demon would not go unpunished._

_Kurama was truly ticked off. Naomi was crumbling in his arms, terrified of some demon that had slaughtered not only her own family, but the innocent people who look up to her just to get her attention. 'Whoever you are, Natas, I will stop you from hurting Naomi. I swear it.'_

_~End of Flashback~_

"Kurama? Hello?" The said demon snapped to attention when he noticed Naomi waving her hand in front of his face. She smiled at him. "You fazed out on us for awhile there. Come on. Dinner's ready. I tried to get Hiei, but he grumbled something incoherent and hasn't come in yet. Should I just set some food aside for him?"

Kurama could only nod, not trusting his own voice. Her smile made his heart soar, but it was shot when he remembered she had no memory of him. "I apologize if I am keeping everyone waiting."

"Don't worry about it. Come on though. Your friend Kuwabara has a big appetite. There might not be any left."

Suddenly, something crashed to the floor and the screeching of the chair on the wooden floor was heard. "You want to take this outside, dwarf?"

"Keh. Now why would I want to waste a perfectly good meal on an idiot like you?"

"That's it!"

"Kuwabara! Don't call your Spirit Sword now!"

"Shut up Urameshi. The half pint and I got something to settle."

"Our fight wouldn't last five minutes. You'd be in pieces before you could even land a hit, if you even could."

"Spirit Sword!"

*Sweatdrop*

Naomi looked alarmed while Kurama sighed. She looked at him. "Do they do that often?"

"It's not really a complete day if they do not." She laughed and went to go stop the fighters from killing each other, Kurama right behind her.

The site was very amusing. Kuwabara was being held back by Botan and Yusuke, while Hiei sat in his seat, eyes closed, eating his meal, unfazed by the big man's rage. That only made Kuwabara angrier. 

Naomi walked in and slammed her hands on the table. "Enough! Kuwabara, withdraw your Spirit Sword right now. I will not have this kind of behavior in this shrine. You want to fight each other, then do it after you defeat Natas. I will not hesitate to put a restraining spell on the both of you, and Hiei, you know any miko could, so don't even open your mouth to make some snide remark saying I can't."

All of them stared at her… well, Hiei glared. Kurama was amazed. 'She seems to catch on quickly about us. She has Hiei nailed down already. Truly amazing.'

Eventually, they all sat down and ate their dinner in silence, most too afraid of another outburst by the miko. Hiei was just annoyed while Kurama was still amazed. 'She's the same Naomi I knew. Somehow I have to find a way for her to remember.'

Botan stayed and helped Naomi with the dishes while Hiei went out again. "Don't forget the belt scarf. I can imagine even you have some great moves you wouldn't want revealed."

Hiei just glared, took the scarf and left. Kurama stayed in the kitchen while Yusuke and Kuwabara went to find cards. "Do you require any assistance?"

Naomi looked at him. "I think Botan and I have everything under control. Thank you though."

"Please, let me know if you need anything."

She smiled. "I will." She then went back to washing the dishes as Kurama left the room, plotting how he could possibly get the one he cared for most to remember him.

~*~That's it for now. We shall see when I can update next. I'll do my best, loyal fans! Ja ne!~*~


	17. Chapter 17

~*~Hey hey! Let's answer some questions. 

**Michelle**: Umm… I wrote these chapters a long time ago and am just recently (Sept.) posting them again. I have up to chapter 21 written and am currently stuck on 22. What Japanese would you like to know? I don't know much myself, but my best friend is Japanese and when I can't reach her, my second best friend helps me because she takes a Japanese class. The only Japanese I know myself is what I pick up from watching _Inu Yasha_ in Japanese with the subtitles. *sweatdrop*

 Anywho, even I want to know what's gonna happen next! So let's see what I can get down before I have to get some sleep.~*~

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Sitting up in a tree close to the house he sat thinking about the string. 'Why would the string appear? It does not make sense.' Shaking his head, he jumped down and walked inside, heading to her room. Sliding the door open quietly, he looked in to see her still asleep on the futon. He walked in and sat beside her, watching her intently.

Suddenly, the miko began to stir and turned on her side, facing him. Her arm lay out of the covers, hand by her pillow. For some reason, he had the urge to reach out and hold it in his.  He shook his head. 'Baka,' but apparently his hand had other thoughts as it took hers. It was smaller then his large ones, but soft and gentle. To think these same hands could also kill. It didn't seem right to him.

Her breathing was even, signifying she was deep in sleep. A part of her hair covered her peaceful face. He reached over with his other hand, brushing the strands back. His hand lingered on her sweet face. His touch seemed to relax the miko even more for a small smile appeared as she leaned into his hand.

Yeah, that startled him. 'What am I doing?!?' He quickly took his hands away and left the room. He would have gone racing through the forest, but that would leave Naomi alone and unprotected in her vulnerable state. So, he had to be content with just pacing back and forth in the back yard. 

What was this weird feeling going through him? It was unlike anything he had ever felt. It was like a need to be beside her, to make her smile, to protect her from harm, to chase her inner "demons" away and to wipe away her tears if she ever cried. Why was he so loyal to her? It was only two months ago he came here, injured. If someone had told him he would stay with a miko for this long, he would have killed them, riding the world of one less incompetent idiot. When did this happen?

He shook his head and heard something move from inside the house. Turning, he headed inside to find Naomi sitting up and stretching. "How long was I out?"

"Maybe two hours. You alright?'

"Yeah. That ritual just takes a lot of power to perform, that's all. Umm… how did I get back here?"

"You were about to pass out, so I had to carry you back here." A small blush formed on her face as she looked away.

"Thank you for taking care of me yet again."

He didn't know how to answer her, so he just nodded. Naomi soon got up and stretched her back, then headed to the kitchen, but a certain someone was blocking her way. She looked up at him with curiosity. "I'm just going to go make some dinner. I figured we missed lunch awhile ago."

He shook his head and in one swift motion had her in his arms. He placed her back in the futon and saw her eyes were extremely wide in shock. He just looked at her. "You should get some more rest. It has been a long day."

"What about dinner? You must be hungry."

"I shall prepare something. It is only fair since I reside here for the time being." A quick flicker of sadness filled her eyes, but it was quickly gone. 'Strange…'

"You sure you are okay with this? I mean, do you know how to work everything?"

"I have seen you prepare our meals many times. It should be no problem." Naomi just nodded, knowing no matter what she said he would still insist. He then left her after she laid back down to rest more.

After many trials, he finally was able to make some soup. 'I guess it is harder then it looks.' He brought a bowl and a spoon into her room, where he found her relaxing, eyes closed, but not appearing to be asleep. Her eyes opened when he entered. "Something smells good."

He went over to her side and showed her the soup he had prepared. He was rewarded with a smile. A small laugh also escaped her lips. He looked at her with curiosity. She shook her head. "This is the same soup I made for you your first night here."

Puzzled, he sniffed the food and smiled. 'I knew it seemed familiar.' Naomi continued to smile and slowly reach for the bowl. He held it away from her, a small smile on his face. She looked at him, obviously confused.

"You said it was the same soup. You are weak, just as I was. Did you hand me the soup?" 

Thinking about it, her eyes then went wide and she let loose a laugh. "No I didn't. I feed it to you."

"So is it not expected I do the same?" A small smile was tugging at his lips as he watched her eyes. They weren't sure if he was kidding or not. So, he took a spoonful and held it up to her lips. She just shook her head, her smile still on her face.

"If you don't eat, you will get weaker faster. You won't be strong enough to even get out of this futon."

Catching on to the game, her smile widened then she gave him this weird side look. "How do I know you didn't poison this?"

His eyes grew softer. "You don't. You'll either have to trust me and eat it, or not trust me and die from lack of food. You're choice." He brought the spoon up to her lips, waiting for her to open up. She did so and he feed her the soup. "See? That wasn't so bad, now was it?"

She smiled and looked at the bowl expectantly. Without hesitation, he eventually feed her the rest of the soup until the bowl was empty. He got up to take the bowl to the kitchen. 

"Thank you Kurama. It was very good."

He turned his head to her. "You're welcome." With that, he left the room, leaving the miko to rest more.

After cleaning up, he went into her room again to check on her. She was now by the window, staring outside with a far off look in her eyes. "Something on your mind?"

Naomi glanced back at him and returned her gaze to the window. "It's nothing important."

He came beside her and sat down as well. "I would like to hear it anyway."

A small smile appeared then. "Alright. Don't say I didn't warn you."

He looked at the girl expectantly. She finally began. "I was just thinking back on something my mother used to tell me. I was about fourteen and was a bit sad because all the girls in the village had started dating and such. When I told her, she only smiled. I can even hear her response. 'Naomi, there is no need to rush. One day you'll just be walking, just going about your regular life when you will come upon a man with long, beautiful hair. Forget all that damsel in distress stuff, for it will be reversed. You will be the one to save him, in more ways then one. A quiet but loyal man, he will be concerned for you but will let you live your life as you see fit. This man will be the one for you, your soul mate. It will be hard, obstacles to overcome, but in the end, all will be well. I don't know when he will come, but when he does, you will be able to break down your barriers and be whole. Remember this, my little one.'"

He listened to her speak, a twinge of jealously flowing through him. Who could this one be that was so perfect for her? And what was keeping him? Naomi needed someone now, not later. 'Who could this perfect guy be?'

Naomi looked over at him. "I told you it would be stupid."

"It wasn't." Naomi smiled, grateful for what he had said.

"Did your mother ever tell you things like that when you were young?"

He shook his head. "I do not remember my mother very well."

"I'm sorry. That must be hard for you."

He looked at her. "It was a very long time ago. Remember, demons do not have the same lifespan as humans."

She nodded. "Forgot about that. You just look so young, that's all. Very deceiving. How old are you really?"

"After 100, I stopped counting."

Her eyes went wide and he thought her mouth would drop open any minute. "Wow. You don't look a day over 99 though." A small formed on her face when he looked at her. He smiled as well.

"I take it that is a compliment?"

"Worse, a joke."

He nodded. "Even in my old age, I know what a joke is."

"I would hope so."

Naomi got up and went to head outside. He got up and followed her. "Where are you going?"

"Where else? The hill. Care to join me?"

"You should not be out there. You are still drained from the ritual."

"I'll be fine, Kurama. No need to worry. I may be drained of spiritual power, but I know more then that. Besides, if you come with me, I know I have nothing to fear."

The young miko smiled at him, which gave him a warm feeling and caused him to smile as well. He nodded and continued to follow her to the hill. She sat down and looked to the village below, him sitting right beside her.

"Kurama? Can I ask you something?"

He turned to give her his full attention. "Of course."

"Why do you stay? I mean I'm not annoyed or anything. Stay as long as you like, but…" The miko looked away, unsure how to phrase what she was thinking.

That question took him by surprise. Thinking a moment, he said the only thing he could. "I don't know. I honestly do not know." That was true. He didn't know why he was still there. All he knew was he couldn't leave. He just couldn't. Something was telling him he had to stay.

"Well, you can stay here as long as you like. If you want, you could consider this your home."  A small blush appeared on her face, which he noticed.

The thought intrigued him. 'A home? I have not really had that in a long time. It would be nice to be able to come back to a place and to feel welcomed.' He smiled at the miko. "I would be honored to."

She looked up at him, her violet eyes filled with… happiness? "I'm glad."

He looked into her eyes and was so overjoyed that emotion flickered in hers. He smiled back at her, actually glad and content with his life. How did the most famous notorious cut throat thief of all of Spirit World ever get so lucky? And to think it was because of those damn hunters. Amazing.

But what was this feeling he had towards Naomi? It was like a deep bond, a friendship. But it was more then that. Why did he always feel like smiling when he was near her? Why did he have the strong urge to protect her, make sure she's safe? He had never felt that before, so why now? Why to Naomi?

"Kurama?"

"Hm?"

The miko had her back on the grass and was staring up at the stars, her hair spread out. He could only stare at her. 'She looks… beautiful.'

"You seem gentler, kinder then when we first met. You say things to me, open yourself up." He shifted a bit, unsure if this was good or not. "I like it, Kurama. It makes me feel like you trust me. You have no idea how much that means to me." Her eyes softened as her gaze went to his golden orbs, which were staring at her with equal softness.

Eventually, he broke the gaze by leaning back on the grass and looking up at the stars. He never really liked watching them before, but tonight they seemed so… magical. Slowly, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. He saw her blush out of the corner of his eye. "You were shivering again." He wasn't sure if that was a lie or not, but she didn't pull away. Instead, he felt her head rest on his shoulder, both now looking up at the night sky.

What was this feeling of calmness, of contentment he had when Naomi was near? Would he ever understand what exactly he felt for her? Then a thought struck him. 'What does she feel for me?' 

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard her breathing was at an even pace. Looking down, he saw that Naomi had fallen asleep. Smiling, he carefully picked her up in his arms and carried her back to the house. When he got there, he slide open her door and went over to the futon still lying on the floor. With care, he placed her in it and pulled the blankets up to her chin for warmth.

As Naomi shifted in the futon, he heard her mumble something. "Kurama…" His eyes went wide. 'She's dreaming… about me?' For some reason, not only was he startled, but he was glad, happy that he was in her dreams. Not wanting to wake her, he got up and began to leave the room… until he heard her again.

"Kurama… don't… leave…"

Blinking a few times, he shook his head, wondering if he heard her right. Looking over at the young, beautiful miko in the futon who seemed to be having a nightmare, he smiled and walked back over to her and took her hand in his. Leaning in, he whispered in her ear, "Do not worry, Naomi. I'm not going anywhere."

The girl was calmed and eased into a comfortable deep sleep. He just sat there, with her hand in his, eventually falling asleep beside her.

~*~How much do we love the fluff? So, yeah. It totally took me about two days to write this. Anywho, I'd love reviews and I'm writing as fast as I can. Be nice and say you like me fic? Pretty please? I'll give you a cookie! Ja ne!~*~


	18. Chapter 18

~*~Thank you all for your support!!! Here's a new one for ya.~*~

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That night, Kurama lay wide awake on his futon, staring up at the ceiling. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her. It was just too painful. 'She doesn't know me.' Frustrated, he got up and headed towards the back door, sliding it open quietly. The night air blew at him gently, as if trying to comfort him into thinking everything would be alright. With a deep sigh, Kurama decided to just walk until his feet stopped. 

Letting his body guide him, Kurama ventured through the woods silently, taking in everything around him. 'Hiei has been here. I can see the marks from his sword.'

Shaking his head, Kurama continued to walk, looking at his surroundings. 'It is nearly an exact copy of her home.' Shaking his head to clear his mind, he continued his walk until he came to a clearing. Off in the distance was a lone figure, sitting and looking out below them. 'Strange…' Curious, he walked over to the person until he saw them clearly. 'Naomi…'

The miko was sitting on the grass, looking down at the village below, as if watching for evil spirits. She seemed to be protecting them, watching over them while they lay in their beds. Kurama didn't know what to do. Should he walk over to her and strike up a conversation? Should he just turn and walk away?

"Kurama?" He looked up and saw her staring right at him. Busted. Naomi looked at him with confusion. "Why aren't you asleep? It's rather late."

"I could say the same for you. Why are you still up?"

She smiled up at him. "I asked you first."

Sighing, Kurama answered. "I could not sleep. I guess I have a lot on my mind."

"We all do." Naomi looked up at him. "Could you sit down please? You're hurting my neck."

Nodding slightly, Kurama quickly sat down next to her, but there was quite a bit of room between them, enough to probably fit the people of China. The miko looked at him with confusion, but just shook her head and returned her gaze to the sleeping village. There was a long silence between them. 'I wonder what I should say to her. I have never been this uncomfortable with her before.'

"So tell me, why is it you fight, Kurama?" Startled by the question, he looked over at her. Her eyes were still on the village. The miko continued after a few moments passed. "I mean Yusuke is the spirit detective. It's his job to fight back. Kuwabara is very loyal to Yusuke. Of course he would come to help. He probably wants to protect someone back home anyway. Hiei is just looking for some fun. But I haven't figured out why you are here."

Thinking exactly how he was going to answer her, Kurama decided on one thing. 'I'm not going to lie to her.' Taking a deep breath, he answered. "I have a score to settle with Natas. He has stolen someone I hold dear. I am here to get them back at all costs, even at the risk of my own life."

Naomi looked at him with sadness in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Kurama. This person must be very special to you."

Looking into her eyes deeply, Kurama replied, "Oh yes. Much more then they know."

A soft smile played onto her lips as Naomi looked back at him. Gracefully, the powerful miko rose to her feet. "Well, I better get some sleep. You coming?" She held out her hand to him to offer assistance. A small blush came onto his face, but Kurama moved his head before she could see. He got up and began to escort her back to the houses where the rest of the team lay asleep on their futons.

Naomi looked at him as they entered the house. "Well, as I said before, I will do all I can to help you defeat Natas."

Kurama nodded and the miko turned and headed to her room, telling him good night. He returned to his futon when she entered her own room. Laying down again, his thoughts continued to run through his head, but soon he drifted into sleep.

_~Flashback~_

_After about an hour had passed, Kurama and Naomi headed towards the woman's house to help with the rest of the clean up. Naomi herself was still visibly shaken but was slowly pulling herself together to not have the woman worry._

_Kurama was worried though. 'What does Natas want with her? Why must he destroy her entire life?'_

_The girl close to his side stopped short and Kurama looked ahead to see a small house. 'That must be it. I can smell the massive amounts of blood.' Taking a side look at her, he could see Naomi was scared. To somewhat reassure her, he took her hand in his, lacing his fingers through hers. He gave her hand a slight squeeze and waited until she was ready. "Remember, I'm right here. No one will hurt you anymore," he whispered softly into her ear._

_Feeling her squeeze his hand back, Kurama took that as a sign that she was ready. They both walked up to the door and she knocked, waiting for the woman to answer. Finally, the woman came. "Naomi-sama. Thank you so much for coming back." She cast a look at the man beside the miko and also saw their hands holding._

_Naomi dropped her hand and motioned to him. "This is Kurama. He has agreed to help us with the clean up." The woman nodded and led them both to the backyard._

_Kurama looked around and was disgusted. Most of the area was red with blood. Seeing Naomi's fearful eyes, he looked to where her eyes were focused. 'Natas.' There was the signature in blood as she had said. He shook his head and took a rag the woman had gotten. Wetting it with water from a bucket already there, he got down on his hands and knees and began to scrub the horrid name away. Soon, the two women began to scrub the all the blood away._

_After about three hours, a majority of the red had been wiped away from the woman's yard. She thanked them and soon they were on their way back home. When they reached the forest, Kurama took Naomi's hand again, pulling her slightly off the path. She looked at him with curiosity. "Kurama…?"_

_He stopped pulling her and faced her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Are you alright?"_

_Naomi sighed. "Not really. He's coming soon. I know it."_

_Shaking his head Kurama bore his eyes into hers. "I know he killed your family and is most likely trying to rid the world of your bloodline. Naomi, I will not let him harm you in any way."_

_A startled look filled her eyes as Naomi gasped. "Kurama, I never told you he was the demon that killed them. I haven't told you anything about what happened except a demon killed them. How did you know?"_

_Realization hit him then. 'How did I know that?' Looking at her, Kurama didn't know how to answer. "I… I don't know. I probably put two and two together when you were crying before."_

_After a brief moment, Naomi slowly nodded. "Yeah, that must be it."_

_Both stood there for a bit, unsure of what to do. Kurama looked her over to see many emotions mixing around in her eyes. He took her into his arms and held her close. He could feel her arms around him as well. "I won't let him hurt you."_

_Kurama felt her arms tighten their hold on him. "Thank you." They stayed that way until Naomi pulled away, much to his disappointment._

_"How are your wounds?"_

_"Much better to the point I forgot I had them. What did you use anyway?"_

_Kurama smiled. "A very old medicine I learned. Maybe I'll teach it to you one day."_

_"I'd like that." The miko shifted a bit. "Changing subjects slightly, did you read my note?"_

_Thinking back to this morning, Kurama smiled. "Yes I did."_

_She nodded and looked away from him. "But what I was afraid to ask was if… _you_ had any regrets about it."_

_This startled the fox demon. "Excuse me?"_

_"Well, it's just maybe you were caught up in the moment or something and you didn't mean to do that. I… I would understand if-"_

_Kurama cut her off by pressing his lips to hers, silencing her with a kiss. At first shocked, she returned it, much to Kurama's joy. He held her close, his hand behind her head near her neck. He felt her hand gently touch his face as he deepened the kiss, her following suit. It was pure bliss._

_Eventually Kurama pulled away from her and looked deep into her eyes. "I meant it last night as well." Happiness and relief appeared on her face as a huge smile burst out. Without warning, she hugged him tight, which he readily returned. He wanted to hold her, let time stop around them. It was a perfect moment._

_Pulling away, Kurama took her hand and they headed back to the shrine. When they got there, Sóra smiled at them. "I won't be home till late tonight. Mr. Yoshimatsu wanted me to finish up his painting tonight. Oh, Naomi, there's a letter for you on the counter. And one for you too, Kurama. Make yourselves dinner and I'll see you later." She smiled as she descended the steps and walked into town. _

_Naomi looked at Kurama. "I wonder who wrote me."_

_Together, they walked inside and found their respective letters. Kurama opened his first and was a bit shocked to find out it wasn't from his mother or younger brother. 'It's from Yusuke…' Sadness overtook him as he turned from the letter to Naomi. "What is it, Kurama?"_

_He couldn't face her, not right then. Kurama read over the letter one more time to make sure of its contents. Sadly, the result was the same._

**_Kurama-_**

**_I got your address from your mother. Why didn't you tell us you were going out of town?? Anyway, hate to cut your vacation short, but we need you to come back soon. We start a new mission in one week and Koenma wants the whole team together. I'll see you in a few days. Who knows? Maybe it'll be short and you can have a few more days up where you are before school starts again. Cya.  –Yusuke_**__

_'Good thing Yusuke put the date at the top of the paper. I only have three days before I return back home.' Kurama turned to face Naomi who was looking at him with such innocent eyes. "What is it Kurama? Something from your mom?"_

_"I wish it was. It's from Yusuke."_

_"The Spirit Detective guy? Well, it's nice you're getting mail from them. What does he say?"_

_He could not meet her eyes at that moment. He did not want to tell her the news and just throw it out, as if it never came. "Kurama?"_

_"I must return back home in three days. There is a new mission which requires my assistance. I-"_

_Kurama was silenced by her fingers on his lips. "I understand. You are very loyal to your team. Just promise me you'll be okay. I… I couldn't stand it if you got hurt… or worse."_

_This stunned Kurama for a moment. 'I guess I told her too many of our fight stories.' His eyes soften as he looked her over. "I promise. I will be back as soon as the mission is over. That is… if you want me to."_

_Without another thought, her arms were around him in a hug. "I would like that very much." Kurama slowly brought his arms up and hugged her back. Only three days? It just wasn't enough._

_"Naomi? Kurama? Anyone home?"_

_The couple broke apart to the sound of Haku coming in. He took one look at them and knew right away something was wrong. He sent a questioning look to Naomi._

_"Kurama needs to go home soon. In three days."_

_The boy then looked over to Kurama, as if seeing for himself if it was true. The demon could only nod. "But… but I don't want you to go!"_

_This broke this poor red haired demon's heart. "I'm sorry, Haku. My friends need my help back home. I promise to come back when this mission is complete."_

_"*sniff* Promise?"_

_Kurama smiled down at the young boy. "I promise."_

_"Okay."_

_Naomi walked over to him. "Why don't you call one of your friends and hang out with them for awhile? Your mom won't be home for awhile."_

_"Hoshi wanted to know if I could sleep over tonight…"_

_"I don't think your mom would mind. Go ahead."_

_"Okay! I'll go over now." He looked up at Kurama and smiled. "Don't forget your promise."_

_Kurama smiled. "I won't."_

_With that, the boy ran out to see his friend, leaving the miko and demon alone. They looked at each other for a moment, then Naomi took his hand and led him outside to the hill. There, they sat in silence, watching the sun begin to set. Slowly, Kurama put his arm around her shoulders and brought her closer to him, not wanting to leave. 'Only three days…'_

_"Kurama?"_

_He looked down at her and saw the sadness in her eyes. "I really don't want you to go. What if you can't keep your promise?"_

_He shook his head and looked deeply into her eyes. "I will always keep my promises to you. I will return safely. I would not want to be far from you. Ever." He lowered his lips and pressed them against hers, a sweet and tender kiss as if to reassure her of what he had said. She returned it as well, saying she believed him._

_They broke the kiss and Naomi put her head on his shoulder, his arms going around her waist. Only three more days…_

_A thought struck him. "Naomi? What about your letter?"_

_The girl in his arms shifted a bit to reach the letter she had placed in her pocket. "I had forgotten about this. There's no return address." Without delay, she opened the envelope and read the paper inside. Her face paled as her eyes widened. "Oh Kami…"_

_Kurama turned serious as he took the letter from her hand to read it. _

**_Naomi- Next time, the blood will be yours. And I won't forget about your little friends either, especially your demon companion. They will not be spared. I'm coming for you. –Natas_**__

_He crumpled the letter and held her closer to him, subconsciously protecting her. 'How can I protect her when I'm not even going to be here??'_

_~End Flashback~_

Hiei was working on his swordsmanship when he heard voices not too far away. 'If I didn't know better, I'd say that was Kurama.' Against his better judgment, Hiei went to go check on the emotionally altered fox demon. He was in ear shot, but not close enough to see yet.

"I have a score to settle with Natas. He has stolen someone I hold dear. I am here to get them back at all costs, even at the risk of my own life."

'No mistake. That is Kurama's voice. Who would he be talking to?' He soon stood at the forest's edge and was about to see his companion…

"I'm so sorry, Kurama. This person must be very special to you."

Hiei froze when he heard that voice. 'It's that miko Kurama's so fond of. Keh, waste of my time.'

He could see Kurama look at her deeply with this… spark Hiei had not seen before. "Oh yes. Much more then they know."

It took all his strength not to just gag right then and there. 'How revolting. Kurama, your human self is definitely taking over way too much.'

He continued to watch as they got up and headed back to the shrine. Hiei was following them, but made sure to stay hidden. He wanted the opportunity to check out this… miko for himself.

Before they entered, Hiei saw her turned to Kurama. "Well, as I said before, I will do all I can to help you defeat Natas."

'And how do we know you're not lying? I'll find that out for myself.' He watched as she headed towards her room and Kurama to the futon. It didn't take long for the fox demon to fall asleep, giving Hiei the opportunity he had been waiting for.

Hiei slipped inside the house and went straight for the miko's chambers, sliding the door open silently. He entered quickly, but was a bit surprised to find her still awake… not only awake, but sitting up on her futon staring at him. Botan lay passed out, a little "sleep bubble" coming from her nose.

"What is it you want, Hiei? There has to be something if you had the need to watch your friend and me as we were coming in."

'So she doesn't know I've been watching since the hill. It doesn't matter.' Hiei took a step forward. "You may have everyone fooled into thinking you are completely against Natas, but not me. You're working for him and are leading us into a trap. I won't be fooled."

To his… well, shock, the miko began to laugh softly. "If that is what you think, then you're a bigger fool then I thought." The demon growled and moved to draw his sword. "Don't draw that, Hiei. I wouldn't want to use that subduing spell on you so soon. I can see you are someone who doesn't give his trust away or let his guard down. But, you respect and are very loyal to your teammates, even Kuwabara for some reason."

"Don't pretend to know me, miko."

"I don't intend to. Now, why don't you ask your questions so I can get some sleep."

Hiei smirked. "What's to stop me from killing you in your sleep?"

Naomi shifted and sighed in exasperation. "Because, Hiei, I don't think even you would attack a so-called enemy while they were completely defenseless. I think you'd rather have a real fight, especially with a miko."

Well, that was a bit…shocking. Hiei was taken aback just a tad, but not enough to be noticeable. "Why would you want to help us? Demons are not exactly on your best terms list as a miko."

Naomi shook her head. "To be honest, that doesn't matter to me." Hiei looked at her, an odd look on his face. She continued thought. "For some reason, I feel as though I can trust your friend. A weird feeling inside me. I don't know why either. You, on the other hand, I feel I should be cautious of, but in due time, I hope to gain your trust. I won't rush it and demand respect, but I will help you all I can. Natas must be stopped. He is a horrid demon."

"But you serve him."

"He has no right over me!" Anger seeped out of the miko which surprised him. "He is a cruel man, using people to his advantage. If you look down at the village at night, you will notice one woman, a different one each night leave their so called homes and walk deep into the forest. They go to his castle where he takes advantage of them, rapes them, then sends them home. He does this to all of the women as young as fourteen. It is sick and wrong."

Hiei could definitely see the anger rising from her. He just had to ask the question that was in his mind. "Has he done this to you as well?"

A small smirk played on her face. "He's tried. He had me on his bed, about to ripe my clothes off when I sent out some of my miko energy, blasting him across the room. He cursed at me and sent me away, saying one day he would have his way with me. I tried to protect the girls here, but no matter what I do, he finds some way to stop whatever I try."

"Keh, why haven't you finished him off then if you despise him so?"

"Because, you idiot, I can't!" Exasperated, she held out her left arm, a gold arm band encircling her wrist. There was some sort of writing on it that Hiei didn't recognize.

"And what is that? I'm not exactly interested in jewelry."

"Do you ever think before you speak?" Noticing him reaching for his katana, Naomi shot him a glare that said try-it-and-you'll-see-some-serious-miko-power. For some reason, Hiei sighed and just waited for her to continue. "This arm band is what keeps all of us under control. Everyone in the village wears one either on their wrist or on their ankle. This way, he can call any of us whenever he chooses. So, whenever I try to destroy him, this armband lights up and cripples me, making me unable to do anything. He could advance at this time, but this weird red glow surrounds me and shoots him back, as if a barrier is around me, protecting me. I don't know why it's there. I know for a fact I did not create it." Naomi shook her head and lowered her arm. "I should just be thankful it arrives just in time." She looked up at the demon before her. "So, any other questions, or would you rather wait until tomorrow? Oh, and I am serious about the sash. Natas has spies working for him to steal other's moves so he has no problem defeating them."

Hiei didn't say anything, but turned and moved to leave the room. "Expect more questions, miko."

"I wouldn't expect any less from you, Hiei. Until tomorrow, good night." 

With that, the miko curled up and fell asleep as Hiei left the room and headed towards his futon. While on it, his thoughts went all over the place. 'Should we trust what she says? It might be a trick.' But in the back of his mind, something told Hiei she was indeed trustworthy. 

Sighing, Hiei allowed sleep to overtake him.

~*~Finally the end! A damn long chapter. Anywho, thoughts/reviews/notes are wonderful little things.~*~


	19. Chapter 19

Two weeks had passed since that day. He was unsure how to act around her, so for the time being, he kept his distance, watching her from not too far away. Occasionally he saw Naomi look over at him with some confusion and… possibly hurt on her face, but she never questioned him. Why was he doing this anyway? As he rethought this, the reason popped into his head. 'The string…' He was still unsure of why the string would appear. 'It does not make sense. Her mother has already predicted her soul mate. The string should go to him, not me.'

He didn't know why he kept dwelling on that but it seemed very important to keep his distance so these weird emotions didn't cause him to go and do something stupid. It was difficult to restrict himself to her, very difficult. Naomi would look over now and then just to shoot a smile his way. He tried his hardest not to smile back, causing her to show some sadness. This wasn't fair to her, but he needed to sort things out.

"Kurama? Please come with me to target practice? I need to speak with you."

Without answering, he followed her as she picked up her bow and arrows. Naomi got into her stance and aimed directly at the target. Concentrating hard, she finally let loose the arrow to hit a perfect bull's eye. "What's going on, Kurama?"

He didn't answer her, as much as he wanted to he didn't. So, she continued. "After the day of the ritual, you seem to have reverted back to the way you were when you first came here, cold and distant. I won't push you to tell me, but I would like to know why. I thought things were going along well here. What happened?" During this time, she had prepared another arrow and was about to let it loose. "Did something happen, Kurama?" She then let it loose to hit, yet again, another bull's eye.

He just stood there, watching her as she practiced and listen to her speak to him. What could he say? He had no real reason except the string, but he wasn't ready to tell her about that.

Lucky for him, he heard a familiar voice cry out. "Naomi-sama! Kurama-san!"

Both he and Naomi looked up when they recognized the voice. This time, Naomi smiled and put her things away to go meet her little cousin. "Back here, Sóra."

The small girl ran to the back and instantly gave her older cousin a big hug in greeting. Naomi smiled and returned the hug. He just stood there and he was tempted to smile, but stopped himself. He was glad Naomi was smiling.

The embrace ended and Sóra was now looking up at him with a curious look on her face. "Are you okay, Kurama-san? You don't look the same from last time."

"Kurama has a lot on his mind, Sóra. Now, why don't you tell me what do I owe the honor of your visit this time?"

The little blue eyed girl turned to the violet eyed woman. "Actually, I'm here on a mission. Sorta. See, there's this house up the mountain that momma goes to visit now and then cause this old woman lives there all alone. Well, mom's going away for awhile and can't go up there and the woman's really sick, so she sent me here to see if you could go in her place. She already sent word to the woman that you were coming. She also said something about making sure you didn't bring the beast, but I don't know what she meant by that." The innocent child looked up at Naomi, who looked a bit "tweaked" by the comment.

"Alright, Sóra, where does this woman live?"

Sóra ran over a bit and point high up in the mountain. "There. Her house is hidden from view, but it is there."

Naomi sighed and nodded. "I'll leave at once. Sóra, you said your mom left for awhile. Where are you staying?"

Sóra blinked a few times. "Well, she said to stay at the shrine and look after it while you're gone. Something about making sure that-"

"We don't need to know what she said next, Sóra. Alright, stay here and look after the shrine for me. I put your art supplies in the closet of my room." Naomi turned to him. "I should be back in a few days I guess. Please look after Sóra while I'm gone."

He stood there and shook his head. "It would be faster and safer if I went with you."

"That won't be necessary. Besides, someone has to stay behind and watch over Sóra."

"It's okay, Naomi-sama. I'm a big girl now. I'm eleven!"

Naomi smiled at Sóra. "I know, but I would feel more comfortable if there was someone here with you."

"I would be happy to stay with the girl, Naomi-sama." All heads went up to fall upon a woman with long brown hair and clear green eyes. "Mizuki -san? How are Rei and Shino?"

"They are doing very well to the point where I finally approve of them. They are planning the wedding date even as we speak. I actually came to tell you this myself and to thank you. Please, if you need assistance in watching over the child, I will be happy to. Rei's family has offered to house Shino for a few days to show that they approve as well. So, since I am alone in the house, I would have no problem staying here with her or she come with me. It is up to you, Naomi-sama."

He tried not to put on a triumphant smile when he saw the look on her face. Naomi smiled. "Arigatou, Mizuki-san. I am in your debt."

With a wave of her hand, Mizuki smiled. "No need, Naomi-sama. If anything, we are even. Now go get ready to leave. You don't want to miss the rest of the morning."

Naomi smiled and thanked Megumi again as she went inside to get her supplies. He stood there and waited for her. She soon came out with medical supplies in a bag that was at her side. Naomi looked at him and nodded, signaling she was ready. Sóra came up to her. "Naomi-sama. Be careful."

"Don't worry, Sóra. I won't be gone long. Besides, I have Kurama with me. There's nothing to fear." She smiled at the girl and Mizuki as she turned and headed into the forest and up the mountain, him right behind her.

Why did she still trust him when he wasn't even speaking with her much? It didn't make sense. "'It should only be about a day's walk. We'll be there by morning." He just nodded as they walked.

All day was spent in an uncomfortable silence, him stuck in his thoughts and Naomi letting him think. Eventually, they had to make camp for the night. Naomi went to get some firewood while he set up the area to make sure no demon would attack. They had to be cautious in the woods. 'Demons could be hiding anywhere.'

Naomi soon returned with the wood and soon began a fire. Sitting down, she looked at him with questioning eyes. He didn't really like that look. "Kurama, I know there's something on your mind. Please know I'm here if you need to talk. I don't like the fact you won't talk to me anymore."

"I don't like it either, but I'm not able to talk about it just yet. Please, I do not mean to hurt you in anyway, but this is something only I can figure out."

Naomi just nodded, somewhat satisfied with his answer. "I understand. Just know I'm here if you need me."

"Thank you."

With that, Naomi lay down on the ground and curled up into a somewhat ball near the fire. He looked at her with curiosity. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to get some sleep."

"Why do you not cover yourself? It is a bit cool tonight."

"I didn't have room to bring a blanket. I'll be fine."

Seeing her shiver, he sighed, got up and went beside her. Gently, he pulled her to him, causing her head to rest on his chest while he had his arm around her. "Warmer now?"

He couldn't see it, but Naomi was blushing like mad. "Y-yes. Thank you. You didn't have-"

"Shh. Just get some sleep. We have a ways to go in the morning."

"Hai. Good night, Kurama."

"Good night, Naomi."

He felt her breathing even out, showing she was asleep. For some reason, as he looked at her, he felt his cheeks heat up. 'Am I… blushing? Why?' Shaking his head, he allowed sleep to overtake him, causing him to go into a nice, peaceful sleep, one he had not had in a really long time.

They both woke up by the sun rising, its light shining right into their eyes. He looked and saw he had both arms around her at that point, pulling her into him. Her arms were resting on his chest, her head there as well. That warm feeling on his face appeared again as he woke her up from her slumber so they could continue on their journey. 

They had come to a steeper part of the mountain. "Hope you're good at rock climbing Kurama." He turned to her to see she had begun to climb up. Smiling and shaking his head, he jumped up and grabbed her. She looked at him in shock. "Just hang on." He put her on his back and began to jump up the steep mountain. When jumping wasn't an option, he climbed up, Naomi on his back still.

Eventually they both reached the top of the mountain. He put Naomi down and waited by the tree line. She turned to him. "Aren't you coming?"

He shook his head. "I do not think she would be very comfortable with a demon in her household."

She nodded in understanding and went towards the door. Knocking, she waited for the woman to open the door. An elderly woman came to the door and smiled. "You must be Naomi-sama. I am honored to have you here."

Naomi just smiled. "I am glad to assist you in anything you need, obaasan. Now, tell me what ails you."

The woman nodded, and looked over at him. "Who is your friend, Naomi-sama?"

Turning slightly, she regarded him. "That is my good friend Kurama. He was kind enough to travel with me to see you."

The woman squinted a bit then looked back at the miko. "Is he not a fox demon?"

"He is, but he is a good friend. He will cause no harm."

The woman smiled. "Then let him enter. If a miko has no fear or caution around someone, then I shouldn't fear them as well. Come in, sir. Make yourself comfortable."

He nodded to the woman and walked over. "Arigatou, but are you sure you wouldn't mind?"

"Not at all. A friend of Naomi-sama is a friend of mine. Come in." They both entered the small home. Naomi and the woman went to her bed room to treat her illness while he stayed in the living room. After a long period of time, he heard them both come out. "Now remember to drink this twice a day. You should get your strength back in no time."

"Arigatou Naomi-sama. I'm only sorry to have made you come from so far away."

Naomi waved her hand. "Don't even think about that. It pleases me to know I have helped someone. It was no trouble at all."

"At least let me repay you by having you stay here the night. It will be a long journey back and the sun has already gone down. Please, Naomi-sama. You and your friend will be better to travel in the daylight."

The miko turned to look at him to see what he thought. He nodded and she turned back to the woman. "We would be honored to, arigatou."

The woman smiled and went to get some futons for the visitors. Naomi looked at him and smiled. "And you were worried she wouldn't accept you."

"It has happened before."

"Sorry to hear that." She smiled at him when the woman came into the room.

"I have two extra rooms. They used to be for my children. There is also a hot spring not too far off if you two want to relax. Don't worry. There is a wooden wall in between to separate the men from the women. Please, go and relax. I insist."

They both looked at each other and shrugged. Naomi smiled at the woman. "Thank you. That would be lovely."

After a few moments to figure out which room they were staying in, the two took towels and went to the hot spring. It was a fairly large one with indeed a wooden wall to separate the two sexes. He went to one side and she went to the other. Behind the wall, they removed their clothing and stepped into the hot spring. Naomi could feel all her muscles relax as the hot water covered her. The pressure was releasing from his body as well.

A question had been burning in his mind for a while so why not ask now. "Naomi?"

"Hmm?"

"Is it possible that the red string could go to the wrong person?"

"What do you mean?"

He thought for a moment of how to better phrase it. "Does a red string appear to only your soul mate or is it possibly a string can appear between others?"

There was a moment of silence which made him a little uneasy. "Technically, it's called the red string of fate. So, if the string appears in the ritual, that's your soul mate, the one you are destined to be with, the one fate has decided you should be with. It's used as a somewhat guide to that one person. So, to answer your question, the string only goes to your soul mate."

He sat back a bit and thought this over. 'Then why would her string be attached to me? This does not make sense.'

There was a sudden movement of water. His ears perked up and his body went into an alert position. "Don't worry, Kurama. I'm just getting out."

His body began to relax again. After a few moments, he also got up and grabbed the towel to wrap around his waist. After changing into his usual attire, he followed Naomi's scent back to the house. There she sat at the table, hair still slightly wet from the hot spring. The old woman moved about the kitchen then placed three plates on the table. "Eat up you two."

He sat down across from Naomi and began to eat as she did. After the wonderful meal, Naomi thanked the woman and excused herself for some sleep. He watched as she left.

"So, you care for the Naomi-sama, eh?" He turned to the woman with a somewhat shocked expression on his face. She just sat there drinking her tea. "I know who you are, or rather who you were. I have seen you many years ago. Do not worry though. I will not tell her. That is up to you."

He looked at her curiously. "Who are you, old woman?"

She chuckled. "You wouldn't know me, but you would know of my daughter. She has made quite a name for herself in the Spirit World and here."

"And who is your daughter?"

"Genkai."

That startled him greatly. The famous psychic in the world was this old woman's daughter? Amazing. "Indeed, I have heard of her. That was fourteen years ago though. I heard she now resides at a shrine by herself."

"Yes, it is unfortunate." She turned to him. "You are worried if she feels the same way, am I right?"

What was he supposed to say? That he was actually worried about what a miko thought of him? Even that sentence seemed wrong in his mind. "I think I shall get some sleep in as well."

Noticing that was his way of closing the subject, she smiled. "Good night, Kurama. Be careful tomorrow." He nodded and headed to his room to sleep.

Before he did though, he looked into Naomi's room and saw her in a peaceful slumber. His eyes softened and after much effort, he tore his gaze away from her and went to bed.

By dawn's morning light, he awoke to the smells of breakfast. Getting up, he went over to the kitchen to see the woman working while Naomi sat at the table. "Sit down, Kurama. It's almost done."

He did as he was told and looked up to see Naomi give a weak smile to him. 'That is not like her.' They ate their breakfast and began to get ready to leave. "Obaasan, please send word if you need my help again. Do not hesitate."

"Thank you Naomi-sama. I will remember. Arigatou. And have a safe journey."

"We will. Thank you. Good bye!" Naomi waved to the woman as they left the property. 

They soon reached the edge of the cliff. He bent down for her to grab on and after a bit of hesitation, she did. "Hang on tight." With that, he began the decent down the cliff and to the bottom.

When he finally felt the ground under his feet, he bent down to give her an easier time getting off. Naomi got off and looked around. "Well, we better get going. I feel guilty for leaving Sóra even _this long. You ready?" He nodded and they began to walk through the forests again. _

The walk was mostly in silence, which did not sit well with him. He kept a look out every which way for any signs of demons. Suddenly, Naomi stopped walking and looked around. At the same time, he felt a shiver go up and down his spine. "It seems we are surrounded. How many do you sense, Kurama?"

"Five at the most."

She smiled. "Shouldn't be too difficult then."

At that time, the demons showed themselves from their hiding places behind bushes and in trees. "Well well well, what do we have here? Looks like someone took a wrong turn."

"Hey boss. It's a miko."

The first demon smiled. "Even better. Let's get rid of them quickly."

He grinned. "I would like to see you try."

The leader looked down again. "Can it be? Yes, there's no mistake." A look of pure anger filled the demon's face. "Kill the demon."

With that, the four others attacked the couple, him using his Rose Whip and Naomi using arrows and some martial arts as well as spells.

The leader stood high in the trees, watching the fight. At one point, one of his men went to attack the girl from behind. "Naomi!" To his surprise, the white haired demon blocked the attack, getting hit hard in the stomach. "Kurama?!?"

Noticing this, the leader smiled an evil grin. 'So that's it.' He looked over to the bushes and gave a nod in the direction of the miko. The bushes rustled and the leader himself jumped down. "Well, might as well have some fun too." He rushed full force at Naomi, who had noticed just in time. Dodging the attack, she rush to the side and got her arrow ready. Just one problem… the leader was heading toward him.

He got up and in an attack position in time to defend himself from the attack. "My master will be pleased with what we have found. Soon you and the girl will pay with blood."

"What are you talking about?" he growled. With that, he let loose his Rose Whip, killing the demon before him.

Taking deep breaths, he looked up to see Naomi with a look of worry on her face. "I'll be fine. Missed all the major organs." 

Suddenly, Naomi winced and fell to one knee, clutching her arm. He quickly ran over to her. "Naomi, what's wrong?"

"I…I don't know. I suddenly feel very… weak…" That's when he noticed a dart in her arm. Looking to the bushes, he saw a demon laugh as it ran away. He got a good look at the demon in case he needed to track it down and kill it later. Right now, he had to see to Naomi. He took the dart out and sniffed it. 'Poison. But what kind I do not know.'

It had started to rain at this time, thunder clouds appearing. He picked her up and ran as fast as he could for some kind of shelter. Not too far off in the distance he saw a cave. 'Alright. That will have to do for now. We are too far away from the shrine at this point.' He ran as fast as he could to the cave, the rain not helping much.

He finally reached it and placed Naomi down carefully. She had begun to sweat and shiver greatly. "So c-cold." Looking around the cave, he saw some sticks and twigs. After gathering them all up, he started a little fire. 'That won't last long at all.'

Naomi lay by the wall, shivering greatly as more sweat fell from her forehead. The rain turned from somewhat light to a downpour at this point. He did the only thing he could think of. Slowly, he went beside her, picked her up and placed her in his lap, encircling his arms around her. As her legs were spread out, he wrapped his legs around her, making for a rather… interesting position. 'I have to get her warmed up.'

"K-k-kurama?"

"What is it?"

"I'm s-sorry you're stuck with me. D-don't feel that y-you have to stay. I know you want to g-go back in the wild. If you d-did, I'd understand."

He shook his head. "Don't think that. Just rest. I'm not stuck with you. I'm here because I want to be. Now just rest."

She nodded and tried to sleep in his arms. It was very fitful as sporadically pain filled her entire body, causing her to whimper and moved to try to get it to stop. He held on to her tightly the entire night, not letting her go. "It's alright. It will be alright. I promise you Naomi. It will be alright."

And the rain kept pouring down…

~*~ That's all for now. Ja ne!~*~


	20. Chapter 20

~*~Hi all. Thank you for your support during this long wait. I really appreciated everything you sent. To clarify something for you reviewers, this is how it goes. The odd numbered chapters are of a time when Kurama was Youko. The italics are when Kurama was at the shrine with Naomi. That is about one year after the Dark Tournament. The part in regular type is two years after the italics. Basically the current story is three years after the Dark Tournament. Hope that makes everyone's little light bulb go on. Now read! Lol… This will be seriously long…~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The dark sky loomed over the land, the full moon being the only source of light. A small sliver of moonlight flowed through the window and fell upon a dark haired woman. Naomi lay in a deep sleep state, head moving back and forth from side to side every so often. A somewhat red glow engulfed her though was unnoticed due to all occupants sleeping. Shifting on the futon, Naomi mumbled something in her sleep. "Who are you?"

_**Turn it inside out so I can see   
The part of you that's drifting over me   
And when I wake you're never there   
But when I sleep you're everywhere   
You're everywhere**  
_~In the Dream~

The wind blew lightly as she walked on a hill overlooking a small village. It wasn't like the village on Himura Island, but different somehow. 'This must be home. It's been so long, I don't quite remember. I feel calm here.'

She felt a presence there, not quite sure of who it was. Turning, she eyes met with a tall man standing, looking at her. His long white hair blew with the breeze, showing off his ears on the top of his head. 'Fox ears? A demon…' His tail moved as well as he moved toward her slightly. Not quite sure what was going on, Naomi wanted to turn away, but something told her not to fear this man._  
**Just tell me how I got this far   
Just tell me why you're here and who you are   
'Cause every time I look   
You're never there   
And every time I sleep   
You're always there**  
_His face was hidden from her so she did not know who he was. 'Why do I feel as though I've been with him before?' Her violet eyes stayed on the man as he stood not ten feet away from her. Something was pulling her to him, but Naomi was uncertain why. 'Do I know him?' His arm raised and he held his hand out to her, somewhat telling Naomi to come with him and not to be afraid. "Who are you?" 

That said, the man began to fade away and the area around them began to burn._  
**'Cause you're everywhere to me   
And when I close my eyes it's you I see   
You're everything I know   
That makes me believe   
I'm not alone   
I'm not alone**  
_Standing there, Naomi began to panic. The flames were getting stronger, causing her to cough from the smoke. 'This isn't real. It's just a dream.'

Suddenly, she felt two strong arms surround her, holding her close. The flames continued to surround her. Naomi's vision was getting blurry, but she looked up and saw the man from before, a shadow cast over his eyes. He held her tight as she felt the heat around her increase, engulfing them both. 'I know this man somehow… but from when?'_  
**I recognize the way you make me feel   
It's hard to think that   
You might not be real   
I sense it now, the water's getting deep   
I try to wash the pain away from me   
Away from me**  
_Suddenly, she was back on the hill, looking down at a village, but different from before. It seemed a bit more modern then the one before. 'What is this?' That same presence came again, making her turn around to face the man. Instead of the white haired demon, she was met with a man slightly taller then herself with long red hair. He had this presence around him that was calming and gentle. His eyes were covered with shadow as well.

"Who are you? Why do I feel like I know you?"

The man didn't answer, but only held out his hand to her. She felt drawn to this man as well, but the flames returned before she could walk to him. A shot of pain struck her then as her eyes again blurred. Naomi could see, though, the man with red hair run toward her, trying to reach her with an air of panic surrounding him.

'What's going on?' A sudden evil presence came on strong as she felt herself carried away from the red haired man. He seemed to be reaching to her, but she was just out of his reach. "Help me please…"_  
**'Cause you're everywhere to me   
And when I close my eyes it's you I see   
You're everything I know   
That makes me believe   
I'm not alone   
I'm not alone**  
A red glow engulfed her as Naomi looked out before her. Now she was on the hill looking down at the village of Himura Island. Looking around, she saw the two men standing close by, a red aura around them as well. Confused greatly, Naomi looked around more for she felt a strong power close by. Then, out of the forest came a woman with long dark brown hair in miko's attire. Naomi was taken aback, but both men looked at the new miko. The woman looked at them both, then at her, eyes also covered with shadow. The miko pointed to Naomi, then at the men, as if telling her to remember them. "I… I can't remember. What's going on?" Naomi looked away from them and directed her gaze at the ground. The red glow increased around her, comforting her._  
**I am not alone   
Whoa, oh, oooh, oh**  
_Tears began to form in her eyes as she struggled with what the miko wanted. Two hands, one partly on top the other, reached out to her. Looking up, Naomi saw the two men, the white haired demon and the one with red hair standing there. Her hand moved on its own and placed itself in their hands. A weird feeling came over Naomi at that time, a sense that there was something being held from her that she must soon discover. The red glow turned very bright around them. Naomi looked at them both and felt this overall calmness, a sense of belonging._  
**And when I touch your hand   
It's then I understand   
The beauty that's within   
It's now that we begin   
You always light my way   
I hope there never comes a day   
No matter where I go   
I always feel you so**  
_"What do I need to remember? Please tell me, tell me who you are." The men just smiled and faded away. Naomi called to them, but they were gone. The miko pointed to her and smiled. That smile told her everything, that her answers would come soon. With that, the woman disappeared as well.__  
**'Cause you're everywhere to me   
And when I close my eyes it's you I see   
You're everything I know   
That makes me believe   
I'm not alone   
'Cause you're everywhere to me   
And when I catch my breath   
It's you I breathe   
You're everything I know   
That makes me believe   
I'm not alone**  
~End Dream~_

Naomi woke up suddenly as the sunlight entered her eyes. It was still early in the morning, but she always wanted to get a head start on the day. Botan was still sound asleep, so she stayed as quiet as she could as she began to start her day. "It was the same dream again. Why is it always the same? What do I need to know?" With that, she went into the kitchen to begin preparing breakfast. Her mind went back to her dream. 'Those men… why do I feel like I know them?' A sigh escaped her lips. 

"Are you alright, Naomi?"_  
**You're in everyone I see   
So tell me   
Do you see me?**_

She turned and smiled. "I'm fine, Botan. I didn't wake you, did I?" The blue haired woman yawned and shook her head. Naomi smiled. "Good."

"So, why did you sigh?"

"I was thinking about a reoccurring dream I have." Silently, Naomi cursed herself for telling. Botan seemed to straighten and have this eager look on her face.

"Oh, do tell! Please? I promise not to tell anyone." Naomi looked over the blue haired chirpy woman before sighing again.

"Alright. Come and sit at the table."

Botan did as Naomi said and jumped into her seat. Naomi smiled and sat next to her. After a moment, she told the "grim reaper" all about the dream. Botan sat back at the end with eyes wide. "Wow. And you have this dream every night?" Naomi just nodded. "What do you think it means, Naomi?"

"Well, I think I knew those men in the past and that I'm supposed to remember them for some reason. I don't know why though. And they had the same aura, as if they were the same person or something. Weird…"

Botan just stared and nodded. "Well, it's a good thing this is just between us. The boys wouldn't understand at all."

Naomi smiled. "Yeah. Now, what would you like for breakfast?"

~

In the back bedroom, a human stretched his arms above his head as he got up to embrace the day. The tall man changed and went out toward the kitchen for some breakfast when he heard two female voices. 'I wonder what they're talking about.' Being the ever nosey male, he listened in on the conversation.

"There are two men standing there, a tall white haired fox demon and a slightly shorter red haired man. They both stood there and reached out to me, as if trying to connect with me. I had a strange calming sense surround me, as if I knew them, but I can't remember seeing anyone like that."

"Was there anything else in the dream?"

"Another miko. She had long dark brown hair like mine and seemed to know the two men. She pointed at me and then at them, as if saying they were important to me."

'What in the world? Two men, a white haired fox demon and a red head?'

He didn't finish that though for the two in the kitchen continued. ""Wow. And you have this dream every night?"

'A repeating dream?'

"What do you think it means, Naomi?"

'Okay, now I definitely know who's the one with the dreams.'

"Well, I think I knew those men in the past and that I'm supposed to remember them for some reason. I don't know why though. And they had the same aura, as if they were the same person or something. Weird…"

'Yeah that is pretty weird…'

"Well, it's a good thing this is just between us. The boys wouldn't understand at all."

The man stood up at alert. 'I'm gonna get beat with her oar if they find I've been listening in!' With that he ran back to the room as he heard Naomi ask what Botan wanted for breakfast.

When he got back to the room, the man counted to ten, then went back down the hall and to the kitchen. Both women turned to look at him. Naomi smiled. "Good morning, Kuwabara. What would you like for breakfast?"

Kuwabara smiled and sat down at the table. "Morning. I'll have whatever you make."

"Alright then. Just relax as I finish up."

He nodded his thanks and looked into the living room. "Hey, where did they go?"

Without looking up from her work, Naomi replied. "Well, the sash is gone, so I assume Hiei went out to practice more. Maybe Kurama went with him."

"How did you know Kurama was gone?"

The young woman looked over to Kuwabara with one eye raised. "I have one word for you… miko."

"Oh right. I forgot."

*Sweatdrop*

Botan sighed and Naomi soon came over with their food. Yusuke chose that point to walk in and join them.

~Food. Eat. Done. Okay…~

After clearing the table, Naomi came back in to see Yusuke and Kuwabara sitting in the living room. "I must go into town for the majority of the day. If you need to find me, send one of you down. The villagers will help you find me. Ja ne."

Yusuke sat up. "Do you want one of us to go with you?"

"That is not necessary. I'm a big girl now. I can handle myself. I'll be back around sunset."

With that, Naomi went to the back door, picked up her bow and arrows, and soon walked down the steps toward the small village below.

The two men… well, boys… on the couch were talking. "So what did you want to tell me, Kuwabara?"

"Well, I just overheard something Naomi said to Botan this morning. I don't know quite what it means, but it might be important."

Yusuke sat back and prepared himself for some of his idiot friend's babble. "I'm listening."

Leaning in, Kuwabara began retelling what he had heard. "She said she was having this reoccurring dream where these two guys are reaching out to her. One's some kind of demon or something and the other guy had red hair. Something about a miko too. I don't really remember."

"That's it?"

"Well, yeah."

Sighing, Yusuke shook his head. "Girls have weird dreams all the time, idiot. It's no big deal."

"But she's a miko! It might mean something."

"Well, that's up to her to decide, don't you think boys?"

Both humans on the couch stiffened as they turned to see a ticked off blue haired woman. "He he.. hi Botan."

"So, you were SPYING on Naomi and me?!?"

"It's not what you think…"

Outside, a certain demon had been listening in to what was going on, but did not bother himself with Botan beating the boys with her oar. 'It's no concern of mine what the miko dreams.' With that, Hiei went back to his training, the sash tied tight around his waist.

~

Kurama was in the village looking around, trying to sort out his thoughts. 'What can I do to make her remember? This was one thing I did not expect when I would see her again.' Sighing, he continued to walk through the small town. It was quaint in its smallness and charming. 'Too bad a devil rules over it all.'

The red haired demon shoved his hands in his pockets to be met with a paper like material. He didn't need to take it out. 'It's our picture.' The thought pained him as he thought back to his last days with her. 

_~Flashback~_

_The morning sun greeted the sleeping demon as he awoke from deep sleep. 'My last full day...' Shaking his head, Kurama got up and changed before going to breakfast. Sóra smiled at him as he entered. "Naomi's just showering after her training. She'll be down soon."_

_He nodded and sat down, waiting for her to arrive. He didn't have to wait long, for she soon came into the room in a dark violet button up shirt tied at her waist and jeans. She smiled at him as she took her seat. "Sorry for making you all wait."_

_Kurama shook his head. "Not at all. At least, I did not mind."_

_Sóra looked at the two and smiled. "Here you go. Breakfast is served."_

_After breakfast, Kurama and Naomi went off to the hill to just relax a bit and enjoy each other's company. Kurama smiled to himself as he sat there with Naomi at his side, his arm around her. "What are you thinking?"_

_He turned to face her. "Just remembering when at first you didn't like me at all."_

_"That's not true. I was just cautious." She smiled at him, making his heart leap. His last full day. It just wasn't fair._

_Suddenly, Naomi sat up and looked toward the house. "What it is, Naomi?" He didn't have to wait for an answer for soon Haku ran towards them with something in his hands. 'What the…'_

_"Hey! Glad I found you two. Can I take your picture? Oh pretty please?"_

_Naomi cringed as the evil camera came closer to her. "You know I hate having my picture taken, Haku."_

_With a smile on his face, he agreed with her. "I'm not much for pictures either."_

_The little boy looked at them with the most innocent eyes ever. "Pretty please? I want to remember you guys just like this." With that, his bottom lip began to quiver as his eyes looked as if he was about to cry._

_Oh, that did it. They looked at each other and sighed. "Alright, Haku. Just one picture of Kurama and I, alright?"_

_A huge smile burst on his face as the boy became chipper. "Okay!"_

_*Sweatdrop*_

_Haku told them exactly what position to be in, then went off a bit to get a good shot. They both looked at the camera and smiled. "No no no. Kurama, put your arms around her. Naomi, put your head on his shoulder. Look at each other and then smile." _

_Oh, the boy was good. Got to give him credit for this one. The two teens did as they were instructed, getting into a nice embrace. Kurama looked deep into her violet eyes as she looked into his emerald ones. An emotion he could not name reflected in her eyes, as if only for him to see. They smiled at each other and a bright flash of light filled the air. _

_"All done. I'll get it developed in a bit. That was my last shot on the roll. Ja!" With that, Haku ran inside, giving the miko and demon time alone. _

_They stood there in that embrace for a moment longer, the smiles long gone as they just stared into each others eyes. They both felt the same- neither wanted to be separate from the other. Kurama pulled her even closer to him, never wanting to let go._

_"Kurama? Please promise me you'll be safe."_

_He turned her to face him and looked down at her as a tear fell from her eye. Reaching up, he brushed it away. "Please don't cry. I will come back as soon as I can."_

_"But what if you can't? What if-"_

_Kurama placed his fingers on her lips, silencing her. "Naomi, I will come back to you. Don't doubt that." She looked him over, as if trying to see if he was telling her the truth. "Naomi, I would never lie to you."_

_The miko gazed into his emerald eyes and the answer was clear. She held him close as they shared another embrace._

_Kurama was the one to break this. "What would you like to do on my last day?"_

_"I should be asking you that. It's your day. What do you want to do?"_

_He smiled down at her. "I would be glad just to be with you."_

_She smiled and pulled him towards the forest area above them. He looked at her with curious eyes. "I want to show you something." With that, he let her take him wherever she wanted. After a brief walk, Naomi stopped and looked at him. Kurama let his gaze go from her to the little clearing she lead him._

_"I want to introduce you to my parents, Kurama. This over here is my father and next to him is my mother. Mom, Dad, this is Kurama."_

_A strange feeling over took him at that moment. Looking back to the tombstones, he bowed to pay them their respects. "It's an honor."_

_Kurama then looked straight ahead as some kind of vision came into his head. He was up in a tree as he heard someone crying. He moved to where they were to come upon a woman with long brown hair, crying her eyes out. Jumping down, he walked over to her, placing his hand on her shoulder as he bent down to her level. Her violet eyes looked at him before leaning forward and collapsing into his chest, tears pouring down her face. He put his arms around her to try and comfort her._

_"Kurama?"_

_Shaking his head, Kurama looked over at Naomi who was looking at him with worry in her eyes. "I'm alright. Just… remembering something."_

_She nodded and turned her eyes over to her family. Before he could say anything, she bowed to them, then took his hand and brought him back to the hill. "Thank you for doing that, Kurama. It meant a lot to me."_

_Gently pulling her closer, Kurama looked into her eyes as they stopped walking. "It meant a lot to me as well." Naomi's soft smile was enough for him. 'I leave at __noon__ tomorrow. That's just not enough time.' _

_With one hand, Kurama slowly cupped her face, rubbing his thumb over her cheek. Naomi leaned into his hand and looked up at him with emotion filled violet eyes, tearing his heart to pieces. 'I don't want to leave. I don't want to leave her.' With a small smile on his face, he looked into her eyes softly. "I want to do something for you."_

_Naomi looked at him, curiosity in her eyes. Kurama just took her hand and brought her to the center of the hill. "Just watch." With that, he knelt down to the ground, his hand pressed against it as his eyes were closed in concentration. Suddenly, flowers of all shapes, sizes and colors popped up from the ground. Naomi looked around her in amazement, tears coming to her eyes. Kurama stood up and smiled at her. "Look at them more carefully."_

_The miko did as she was told and a hand went up to cover her mouth as the tears came down. "Kurama and Naomi." She looked at him and smiled. Kurama reached up and wiped away her tears. "By the time the last flower's petals fall, I will have come back to you."_

_Her violet eyes sparkled at his words as he leaned down and pressed his lips softly against hers. Time seemed to stand still; the world was only them, this one moment. If only it could stay this way._

_Breaking the embrace, they walked together hand in hand back to the house for somehow night had come. 'The day had gone so fast.'_

_Inside, Sóra wore a sad smile on her face as she served dinner. "I spoke with your mother, Kurama. She said to catch the earliest bus ride, meaning you leave here around dawn." Her eyes told him she was sad as well to see him go. _

_Dinner was great as usual. As he and Naomi got up, Haku ran over to him. "Kurama! I got the pictures. You want yours?"_

_Looking over at the boy, Kurama smiled and nodded. "Sure."_

_Haku then practically dove into his picture envelop thing and searched through them until he found the one he wanted. "Here you go. I think it came out great."_

_Taking the picture from the boy, Kurama viewed it, Naomi looking over his shoulder. The picture was clear and focused, excellent work. The two in the picture looked as if they were madly in love. 'Wait… do I love her?'_

_"It's a very good picture, Haku. Thank you."_

_"Keep it, Kurama." The boy walked out of the room, smiling. Kurama just nodded and put in his pocket, then turned to look at her. "I will cherish it."_

_Naomi smiled and took his hand, leading him back to the hill. When they got there, they both sat down, side by side and looked up at the stars. 'By morning, I will be gone. This is just not fair.'_

_"Kurama?" He turned his head to face her, her eyes still on the stars above. "Do you think there is something that drove us together?"_

_"What do you mean?"_

_The violet eyed woman turned her head to face him. "Think about it. Remember when we first met? I had a strange feeling we had met before. Why do you think that was?"_

_Sitting back, Kurama answered. "I do not know, but I had the same feeling."_

_Naomi nodded. "I feel as if when you leave, that will be the last time I see you again for a very very long time."_

_Shaking his head, he softened his eyes. "Don't think that. I will be back much sooner then you think. Remember what I told you. By the time the last flower's petal drops I will have come back. Don't worry, Naomi. I will be back."_

_She smiled and placed her head on his shoulder. "I'm glad, Kurama." Instinctively, he raised his arm to place it around her shoulders, pulling her to him. 'If only this night could last forever.'_

_~End Flashback~_

Kurama's little trip down memory lane was interrupted when he saw the woman of his thoughts standing not too far away. Her long brown hair was being tossed about with the cool breeze as she smiled. Her eyes, her lovely violet eyes, were alive with laughter as she talked with a few women nearby. For some reason, he just couldn't look away.

~

Down in the village by midday, Naomi was talking with a few of the women in town. They tried to keep the mood happy even in these troubled times. 'I just don't understand why Natas is having a tournament. It's like he's waiting for someone to come challenge him. But who?'

"Naomi-sama?"__

The miko looked down to see a girl about thirteen years of age. "What is it, Kaori?"

The younger girl smiled with this glint in her eye. "That guy over there has been staring at you for awhile now. Is he your boyfriend or something?"

Confused, Naomi turned her head to see a familiar red headed demon quickly look away from her. A smiled played on her face. "No, Kaori. That is Kurama. He is part of the team staying at the shrine."

The young girl smiled. "It looked like he wants to get to know you better, Naomi-sama."

Naomi smiled at the young girl. "Behave yourself, young one. You should know better then that." 

The girl shrugged and went back into the conversation, Naomi soon joining her after taking one last look at the demon who was looking her way.

~

His heart had stopped when she looked his way. Their eyes connected and locked, even for just a brief moment. When her violet eyes turned away, Kurama vowed then he would do everything he could to get her to remember him. 'Whatever you did, Natas, I'll break it. Naomi has to remember. I don't know what I'd do if she never will.'

~*~Okay! This was long. I'm gonna stop here so I can work on the next one. I know you want to find out what happens next… I'll start right away! Ja ne!~*~


	21. Chapter 21

~*~Hi everyone! This is my Holiday gift to you all. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!!!~*~

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Helpless. That's what he felt as he held her close to him. If only he hadn't been so stupid, Naomi wouldn't have gotten hurt. He should have known there was another demon in the bushes. Because of his carelessness, she was hurt and in pain. Naomi is strong though. It would take a great amount of pain for her to cry out.

The rain began to lighten a bit as morning came. He had stayed up all night, holding onto her to keep her warm. The moisture on her forehead had increased. Placing a hand on her head, his suspicion was confirmed. 'A fever. A very high one at that. I have to bring it down quickly or else she will die.' 

Without hesitation, he slowly picked her up in his arms and ran as fast as he could back towards the shrine. 'It shouldn't be too far. Naomi, just hang on.'

He could feel her moving in his arms, her still whimpering in pain as a single tear began to fall. 'Those bastards. How dare they do this to you? I will make them pay.'

The trees flew by as he continued to run, never slowing down for even a second. 'The longer I take, the closer she is to death. Please, hang on Naomi. I can't loose you now.' Her breathing was very harsh, as if it was difficult to breathe at all. Whatever kind of poison that demon hit her with was defiantly very strong. 'I don't have much time.'

Soon the area became familiar, telling him he was right outside the shrine. Still running, he called out to them. "Sóra-san! Mizuki-san! Quick!"

The door swung open as little Sóra gazed upon them. Her eyes widened with shock and fear. "Naomi-sama!!"

"There is no time to waste. Quickly go get a bowl of cool water and a washcloth. She has a bad fever we must get down. Move quickly!"

"Hai." Sóra then ran to do as commanded as he brought her to her room. Mizuki rushed over and prepared the futon for the fallen miko. "Kami, what happened?"

As he placed her on the futon, he explained. "We were surrounded by demons and one of them hit her with some poison, a kind I have never seen before."

Sóra then rushed in with the water and cloth. "What can we do, Kurama-san?"

"Keep her warm and try to bring down the fever." He grabbed the cloth from Sóra and dipped it into the cold water. After ringing it out, he placed on top of Naomi's forehead. Her breathing was labored as sweat continued to pour down her face. Mizuki came over and placed a large blanket over her, trying her best to keep the miko as warm as possible. Naomi's body began to shake as her back arched up. A painful scream escaped her mouth as her face contorted with pain. He reached over and grabbed her hand, obviously troubled by what was happening. Never did he want to see Naomi like that. His heart was breaking just watching her. Soon, her body collapsed onto the futon again as her breathing continued to be labored. The sweat continued to pour down as he took the cloth to dip into the cold water again. After placing it back on her forehead, he looked directly at the two women. "Look after her." With that, he stood up and went towards the door. 

"Kurama-san? Where…?"

He turned to look at the frightened little girl. "I'm going to hunt down that demon who did this. He must have an antidote. I will be back, Sóra."

A soft noise was heard. "Kurama?" It was a soft whisper, so soft only he had heard it. Quickly he went to Naomi's side and took her hand again. Her eyes open if only a crack to look at him. "Shh. Don't worry, Naomi. I'm going to find the cure."

"Don't… leave…"

He smiled down at her. "I promise you I'll be back. Just hold on until I return." With that, he reached over with his other hand to trace over her cheek. Her eyes quickly shut as she clenched her teeth to bite back the pain. He held on to her hand as she squeezed it tight. Soon, the wave of pain went away and she relaxed a bit more. "I'll… try…"

He smiled once again as he let her go and headed to the door. He turned to Mizuki. "Take very good care of her."

"Of course. Good luck, Kurama-san." He nodded to her as he took off through the back door. Pushing himself to the max, he raced back to the spot where the small battle had taken place. 'Shit. The rain washed away almost everything, including their scent.' He looked over by the bushes that the demon had run from before. Apparently the rain didn't wash everything away. 'A foot print.' With that, he looked and saw the remains of the trail the demon took. Without another thought, he raced through the forest, following the tracks. The trees were just a blur as he ran by, constantly looking to see where the footprints led him. 

Suddenly, a familiar scent caught his attention. 'It has to be him. It's the same scent from the fight.' Walking cautiously, he looked through the bushes and in fact saw the demon that had poisoned Naomi. It seemed to be smiling and having a great time. "To think I just took out probably the world's most powerful miko. And with a simple dart. Ha! Master will be pleased, yes indeed."

With a small growl, he stepped out from where he was and faced this man. "What did you do to her?"

The demon turned around and held this evil smile on his face. "Well, this is a surprise. Didn't think you'd actually come and find me so quickly."

"I'll ask again, what did you do to her?" His patience was very low at the moment with the thought of her in pain.

The demon continued to smile. "Oh, the miko. Just carrying out orders. A very good poison if I do say so myself. Only I have the antidote." At that moment, the demon took out a small vile filled with this clear liquid. He looked at it, then stared at the demon. 

"Who's orders?"

"Tsk tsk. You'll find out soon enough. He's coming for you too."

His anger was slowly rising as he glared at the demon. "Give me the antidote."

"Why should I?"

"Because if you don't I'll tear you limb from limb."

The demon just smiled. "Ooooh I'm so scared. The spirit world's most dangerous thief is threatening me. Oh wait, I'm sorry. You _used to be that. Living here has made you soft."_

A reddish tint took over his eyes as he called for his rose whip. "Do not push me. Just hand it over. If not, I will prove to you I haven't gone soft."

That same smile spread even more on his face as he reached for his own weapon, a katana. "Prove it to me then."

With that, he let loose his whip as the demon blocked the attack with the katana. With one very swift movement he could barely see, the demon had slashed his arm as he hit its leg with the whip just as it was retreating.

"Nice hit, Youko. But not good enough." 

He glared at the demon yet again, preparing another attack. The demon rushed forward, him dodging the easily, now that he could see its speed.

"Why do you bother fighting? There was a time you wouldn't give a damn whether someone lived or died."

That question took him off guard. "What?" The fight continued as the demon thrusted at him, which was blocked and retaliated against.

In between attempts and hits during the fight, the demon commented, "Why trying to get the antidote? The old Youko wouldn't have cared."

Another attack was sent his way which he easily dodged. By now, they were both pretty beaten up and winded. The question had taken him by surprise, which the demon smiled at. The demon had thrusted its sword through his stomach, a nice deep wound. Clutching the wound, he looked over at it. "She is under my protection. It is none of your concern."

The demon smiled. "Ah, so it is true. You really have fallen for the bitch. How cute. How much fun it will be watching her die. I wonder if she's in pain. I do hope so. That would make it all the more fun."

That did it. With all the strength he had left, he charged at the demon, who quickly moved out of the way. One shift motion with his wrist sent the whip right at him. Not expecting this, the demon was hit badly and fell back, clutching his stomach. He walked over to the demon and glared at him with red eyes. "Never, ever called Naomi that again or I will rip out your throat. You got a problem with me then go to me." Reaching over, he went into the demon's pocket and grabbed the vile with the antidote. With another glare, he said, "go and tell your master to face me himself next time."

The wounded demon gave a small laugh. "It's too convenient that his two greatest enemies are together. What a cute couple. He'll have a lot of pleasure torturing you and killing her. One less miko to deal with."

His hand shot out and grabbed the demon's throat, cutting off any air flow. "Do what you will to me, but as soon as you involve her, I will not spare your life." He threw the demon to the ground and made his way to go back to the shrine.

The demon let loose a laugh, causing his anger to rise. "You really think you can protect her all the time? We all know now. A world famous demon let his heart be taken by a miko. Now we know your weakness. She'll never be safe. As long as you love her, the bitch will be a constant target."

With just one snap of his whip, the demon was down, not dead, but unconscious. He didn't have time to think more on whether he should kill the demon or not. Going as fast as he could, he sprinted back to the shrine, the vile in hand. It was very difficult with his injuries, but he pushed his body to its limits. 'Please let it not be too late.'

The shrine soon came into view. He had little strength left, but he slid open the door and walked towards Naomi's room. The room itself started to go blurry as he entered. He saw Sóra's bright blue eyes open wide at him, confirming he was badly injured. Behind her was Naomi lying on the futon, the sweat continuing to fall as her face contorted with pain. She was trying so hard to hold back a scream of anguish. He held out his hand to Sóra that held the vile. "The… antidote… hurry…"

Right after she took it from him, he felt his body crumble as he fell. The last thing he heard was Sóra's voice cry out to him. "Kurama-san!?!" Then there was nothing but black.

~*~Ja ne!~*~


	22. Chapter 22

~*~Insert witty and hysterically funny author's note here…~*~

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Kurama's day consisted on following a certain miko wherever she went, deep in concentration as to how to get her to remember him. Every now and then, she'd turn around and he'd quickly turn away, looking as if he was just walking around the town. 'Smooth… very smooth…'

As he followed her around, Kurama saw Naomi help people by smiling at their greetings, laughing at their jokes, lending a hand in their work, and doing whatever she felt was needed to just brighten someone's day. 'All the people seem to light up when they see her come their way. It's as if she keeps them from losing hope for a better future, a lifeline to happier times.' 

The day was soon fading as he continued to follow the miko, still trying hard not to be seen watching her so intently. Suddenly, Naomi took a turn down one alley, leaving Kurama to quickly not lose track of her. When he did get to the corner, he was surprised to not see her at all. Puzzled, Kurama looked around trying to find her. 

"You care to tell me why you've been following me all day long?"

Kurama turned around to come face to face with violet eyes, looking at him a bit of amusement in them. Kurama sighed. "My apologies. I was unsure of where you were going."

"You haven't answered my question. Kurama, why have you been following me all day long? Every time I look your way, you pretend to be doing something else. There has to be a reason."

The inner struggle was written all over his face. "I was making sure you were alright."

A soft look overtook the miko's features. "That's how you lost them, because you weren't watching over them at the time. Am I correct?" All that was needed was a nod as the miko sighed. "I am sorry, Kurama, but I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Please, come with me. I think we should have a talk."

With that, Naomi walked off toward the forest, back to the shrine, Kurama following close behind. The young woman before him took a few turns here and there, but eventually made it back to the hill they were last night. Kurama could hear Hiei not too far away practicing with his sword. With a sigh, he followed Naomi over to where she had decided to sit. When she found the right spot, she sat down and looked up at him, expecting him to do the same. He eventually did so, but still there was a wide gap between the two.

"You know, everyone here has lost someone or something very important to them at one point or another. I think there are only a select few who actually lived here originally. There is one woman here who lost her entire family, husband and their year old son, all because Natas wanted her for some reason. When she refused him, he was so enraged he killed them while she was away at work. Their blood was spread all over her home, basically saying there was nothing for her to stay there for. And to think she's one of the lucky ones. He usually kills the loved ones right in front of their faces, keeping that image in their minds. The people here have all lost their lives, yet they still keep some hope. They come to this shrine and pray for salvation. I do the best I can, but from what I have heard and seen, there is little I can do. All we can do is hope."

Kurama sat there and absorbed all she had said. 'She is very wise, just like the Naomi I once knew.' A thought struck him then. "Why do you all not up rise and rebel against Natas?" That thought had plagued his mind since he had arrived.

Shaking her head, Naomi wore a sad smile as she held up her left arm. "This gold band on my wrist prevents me from doing so. This is how he controls everyone in the village. All of them have one either on their wrist or ankle. When we make moves to go against him, he activates the bands, basically crippling us. There is nothing I can do about it. I can use some of my miko powers, but not enough to stop him from trying anything."

"Trying anything? You mean…"

"Hai. Each night one female from the village is placed under a trance and walks off to his castle, where they are then raped and sent back to their so called homes. Girls as young as fourteen." 

Kurama was full of anger and noticed Naomi clenching and unclenching her fists in rage. "Has he ever… to you…?"

"No, but that doesn't mean he hasn't tried."

"How did you stop him?"

"Well, I don't really know. When he was advancing, I blasted him away with my powers, but he activated the band. I was crippled and in so much pain. I knew he was advancing but there was nothing I could do. When he was close, this red glow engulfed me and he was unable to touch me at all, a sort of barrier. I don't know where it came from, but I'm thankful it came."

The red haired demon sat there with relief and confusion in his eyes. 'A red glow?' "How long have you been captive here?"

The question seemed to have surprised her by the look on her face. "Umm, let me think. About… I'd say two years or so."

"You are unsure?"

"The days all blend together, so no one is really sure."

"What is your story? What did you leave behind?"

Naomi looked off in the distance towards the village as her eyes clouded over in remembrance. "My aunt and her son. My parents were killed years before. I used to live on a shrine with my aunt and cousin. They came to live with me after… the accident. Everything was going okay until Natas found me."

"How did your parents die? How old were you?"

A smile spread across her face as she turned to him. "You ask a lot of questions, Kurama."

"My apologies again, but you can get no answers unless you ask questions."

"This is true, but you get no answers if you rush the questions. In due time, my friend. Not everything can be known at once. Patience." With that, the miko rose to her feet. "Well, it's actually getting late. I might as well feed you all. Do you wish to follow or stay out here for a moment longer?"

Rising to his feet, Kurama smiled. "My mother taught me a true gentleman always escorts a lady."

"Good to know there are still some gentlemen around. I was beginning to worry. Arigatou."

With that the two headed inside, leaving a certain demon with a third eye in the trees within hearing distance behind.

~

Hiei frowned as he continued his training. 'Kurama, you're letting your stupid emotions for this girl cloud your judgment. How is it possible for her to have no memories? If this is the truth, then Natas should have no problem controlling her, yet she still resists.' Hiei stopped mid-swing as a new idea struck him. 'Why is it she can remember everything but him? Is this really a plan to take over the human world, or to torture Kurama and the miko? What could they have possibly done to have this demon seek and destroy them both?'

Sheathing his katana, Hiei grumbled as he walked towards the shrine. One thing he knew about this girl was that she was a pretty good cook, meaning he was not about to skip a meal. 'I'll have to ask Kurama about my thoughts later.' He was currently looking forward to the food served… and the regular verbal fights with that big idiot. 'The stupidity level of that idiot still amazes me.' With that, Hiei headed for the shrine.

~

Dinner went off with only the usual fight, which of course Hiei won. No surprise there. Naomi was currently washing the dishes, politely telling Botan to sit in the living room and relax. The entire crew was sitting there looking at each other, wondering who would be the one to talk first.

"So, a whole day's gone by. What have we found out?"

Kuwabara was the first to speak up. "I asked everyone what the heck was going on, but they all just smiled and walked away. No one told me anything."

Hiei sat there arms crossed in front of his chest. "Feh. That's no surprise. Why would any sane person tell you anything? It would do better to talk to a rock."

"What did you say, Shrimp Boy?!?"

"Has your hearing gone as well as that thing you call intelligence?"

"That's it! I'm gonna pound your face in!"

"Will you two just shut up?!? You two are just so infuriating!"

All heads looked up to the violet eyed girl standing in the doorway. To her amusement, they all had that look on their face as if they were a two year old caught with their hands in the cookie jar. It took all her strength not to laugh at them. "To answer your question and to stop this childish bickering, no one would tell you anything. Each person is monitored with the arm bands. For the rest of you, the bands, as you can see on my left wrist, are on everyone in the village, for some, on their ankles. Natas threats us and if we say anything… well, let's just say it's not exactly pretty or rated PG."

Yusuke spoke up this time. "So why are you telling us all this information then?"

"I'm not the type to give in to such threats. Besides, if I die, I die trying to save everyone else. Small price to pay for everyone else's freedom."

Botan looked at her in awe. "You're willing to sacrifice your life for people you don't even know?"

"No, I'm willing to give up my life for the people in the village. I know them all. The only people I don't know are the fighters."

Hiei suddenly got up and headed toward the back door, taking the sash with him. Kurama looked at him leave in confusion. 'I wonder why he suddenly left.'

Naomi sighed and shook her head. "Let's just all call it a night. You will need to save your strength for the fights. I hear the first round will actually start in maybe two days, which is a bit unusual. Natas usually likes to wait two weeks." Shrugging, Naomi said good night to her guests and left for her room, leaving the slow moving detectives in the living room. 

Kurama, after the others had left, got out his futon as well as Hiei's and set it up on the floor. As he lay on top of it, his mind drifted off to that sad and heartbreaking good bye.

_~Flashback~_

_The sun seeped into the room through the slightly open blinds, hitting directly into the eyes of the sleeping demon. Stretching, Kurama awoke from his slumber to instantly become sad. 'It's time.' Swinging his legs over the side, Kurama rose from the bed and began to get ready, packing up all he had brought. _

_"Kurama! You better hurry! You don't want to miss your bus."_

_Smiling as Sóra's voice filled the air, he picked up his things and headed down the stairs. Sóra wore that sad smile once again as she took him into a fond embrace. "Now, don't forget to come back soon. We'll all be counting the moments."_

_"Arigatou. I will be back as soon as I can. Thank you very much for your kindness." Releasing each other, Kurama moved over to Haku who looked very sad._

_"I… I never had a big brother before. Even though you weren't here long, that's what it feels like… that I'm losing a brother."_

_A soft smile played on his lips as he bent down to the boy's level. "I will be back. It is an honor to be viewed as your big brother." The boy launched himself at Kurama before he could do anything. Smiling, he hugged the boy back. "Take care of your mother and Naomi for me."_

_"Promise."_

_Smiling, Kurama broke the embrace and waved as he left the home, disappointed he didn't see the one he really wanted to see. As he descended the massive amount of steps, Kurama saw someone sitting in the middle of the stairway, knees apparently up into their chest. "Naomi?"_

_The said girl unlocked herself from her ball position and looked up at him. Standing, she waited as he made his way to her, taking her into a warm hug. "Remember my promise. I will be back."_

_"Then why does this feel like a real goodbye?"_

_Taking a step back, Kurama took her hand and placed something into it. Confused, Naomi looked down and was shocked. In her hand, Kurama had placed a silver pendant with a red tear drop stone in the middle. Looking up at him with confused eyes, he explained. "This pendant belonged to my old partner. He always had it with him, up until the end. I kept it as a way to remember him, always having it in my pocket. I want you to have it."_

_Her eyes grew wide as she looked into his emerald ones. "Oh, I couldn't…"_

_"Please, keep it. This way a part of me is always with you, a part of my spirit and heart is always with you."_

_A tear fell from her eye as she closed her hand around the pendant. In one swift motion, she quickly placed it around her neck, letting it dangle from her neck. "Thank you. I will wait for you, Kurama. I will always wait for you."_

_With that, Kurama took her and kissed her full on the lips, letting all the emotions he felt flow into her and into that one kiss. He could feel her arms around his neck as he held her closer to him, not wanting to let go. Due to lack of air, he released her, looking deep into her violet eyes that held that familiar emotion. With a heavy heart, Kurama picked up his things and said goodbye to her, waving until he saw her no more._

_~End Flashback~_

Hiei was getting restless. There was no reason for him to be training so much. He basically did it to get away from everyone, as well as to clear his mind. A part of him wanted to go and wake the girl to demand answers, while another part… well… let's just say Kurama wouldn't be thrilled with his other idea.

"Frustrated much?"

Hiei turned around and came face to face with that miko. "What do you want?"

"I was curious as to why you didn't wake me up from my sleep and demand answers. Well, either that or try and attack me for your suspicions of me leading you all into a trap, which I am not."

Maybe she knew them better then he gave her credit for. Putting away his sword, Hiei glared at her. "What are you hiding?"

Naomi came forward more and sat on a fallen tree's trunk. "Well, either I don't know what you're talking about, or if it's hidden, it's hidden from me as well."

"Don't try speaking in riddles. Just give me a straight answer."

"Then give a straight question."

Kami, this girl gave him a headache. "Don't play games with me. I won't hesitate to kill you."

"And yet you haven't. You also haven't asked a real question."

"How long has Natas been plotting this?"

"When I got here, the eldest person taken by him was here for ten years."

"Then there had to be another miko. What happened to that one?"

A dark look took over the once bright face of the female before him, almost making him regret asking. "She was killed. She refused to do what he had ordered, so he struck her down."

"What did she refuse to do?"

"Kill the one her heart longed for. Natas sent a blast to kill him and she dove in front of it. He knew she would. She died in her love's arms. Natas then killed the man too."

Hiei looked her over. "Why do I get the feeling you were there?"

"Because I was. This was when I had first arrived. I remember as she died, she had a smile on her face, as if to say 'I'm free.' We are all like caged birds here. We don't know our purpose here. All we know is that it has something to do with the fights." Suddenly, the miko sat up straight and jumped off the tree. She looked at him full on with a fire in her eyes. "You can run and jump really fast, right? You're not just all talk?"

"Why should…"

"Just answer the question."

Something in her eyes told him to answer her, but of course he had to keep his attitude. "Keh, yeah."

"Good, then come with me." Grabbing his hand, Naomi pulled him along the tree line until they came to a hidden path. "Get down!" The two both dove under the bushes, hidden from view. 

Hiei turned to her. "What are you up to?"

"Shh. Watch."

Looking over, Hiei saw a girl no older then sixteen walk along the path with clouded eyes, as if she wasn't even there at all. He heard the girl take in a sharp breath. "Kaori."

He looked over at her. "You know her?"

"She's one of the girls from the village. Natas has summoned her."

"Summoned?"

"She's the one he wants this night. Remember, I told you before that he claims one female each night, whether they consent or not, which they more or less don't."

"And this concerns me how?"

"You're going to help me stop him from claiming her."

"And why should I do that?"

Naomi turned and looked at him full on. "That girl there is young and in love with a man in the town. She is still pure. She views me as her big sister and I will do everything I can to save her purity. Would you turn your back on her if she were your own sister?"

That struck a cord. A vision of Yukina entered his mind at that moment. If Natas had ever tried to claim her, Hiei knew the bastard would be dead in no time. He'd probably kill him, bring him back to life only to kill him again. Sighing, Hiei looked at Naomi full on, Yukina's innocent face still in his mind. "What do you want me to do?"

"We have to follow her at a distance. You can hop from tree to tree swiftly. Take me on your back and let's follow her."

"That's your plan?"

"For the moment."

Rolling his eyes and muttering to himself what the heck he was doing this, Hiei allowed the miko to climb onto his back. "I hear you scream, I let you fall. Simple as that."

"Your concern and kindness overwhelms me."

When she was secure, Hiei took off into the trees and shadowed the girl until they came to the foot of a castle which was surprisingly hidden from view. Dropping to a safe spot, Hiei let Naomi off of his back as she thanked him and ran over to watch the girl. Suddenly, Naomi pulled out her bow and arrows, aiming at the girl.

"Hang on. Just where did you get those?"

"You didn't notice I had them with me since the beginning? That shocks me."

Glaring at her, Hiei watched as she aimed the arrow at the girl. 'That doesn't seem right.' Before he could question her, Naomi let the arrow fly as it hit the girl's wrist, knocking the wrist band. The young girl closed her eyes as her hand slowly went up to her head, shaking it lightly. "Where am I?"

Naomi came out of the bushes then and went over to the girl. "Go back to the village quickly and don't look back."

"Naomi-sama?"

"Do as I say. Now go."

Without a second thought, the young girl ran back towards her home as Naomi turned her attention to the castle door. A sad but determined look entered her eyes. "You will not claim her this night. One day I will stop you, Natas. You will fall."

Slowly, she turned back to Hiei. "Thank you. As soon as the women touch the door, they are lost. We got here just in time."

Looking away from her, Hiei replied, "Are we done now?"

"Hai. We can go back now, unless you want to train more."

Without a reply, Hiei started walking back to the shrine when he noticed she wasn't following. "Are you waiting for an invitation? Let's get back to the shrine before those idiots notice." He continued to walk as he felt her walk beside him.

"You don't like me very much, do you?"

"You know the area and the opponent. That's all I need."

"Jee, that's touching."

"Look, Naomi, I don't trust easily and I can tell when people are hiding things. I will find out soon." The look on her face was way too shocked for his liking. "What?"

"You said my name."

"Is there a point?"

"Apparently not, just that you blew your cover. I think you do trust me, but are just not willing to admit it yet. That's enough for me." 

With that, the miko walked ahead, leaving the shocked and confused demon behind. 

~*~Eh, that's enough for now. Ja ne!~*~


	23. Chapter 23

~*~Finally an update. Sorry for the delay. This one was written before, but it had to be edited many times until I liked it. This is the best I could get. Oh, and if you are interested, the song I used for this chapter is called _Iona_. Basically it's the background music.  Here's your chapter! ~*~

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He woke from his slumber with an ache at his side. Looking down, he noticed there were many bandages on him, but loosely done. After a brief moment, he remembered everything from before, how that demon had tried to poison Naomi and how he hunted them down until he got the antidote. The battle between them had been fierce, but whenever he felt he couldn't go on, the image of her lying there in so much pain that she even had to cry out gave him the strength and anger to finish the guy off. He would have killed the demon, but the longer he wasted on that filth, the less time Naomi had for survival. He had spared the demon's life, but not until after threatening to kill him if he ever laid eyes on the scum again. The last thing he remembered was seeing the shrine, Sóra's terrified eyes as she looked at him, and Naomi, laying on the futon dripping with sweat from the fever and a very pained expression on her face. He had given the antidote to Sóra and then his world went black.

Here he was, laying on a futon in… 'Naomi's room. Why am I in here?' Turning his head, he saw an empty futon next to him, covers thrown aside. 'Where is she?' Panic began to set in as he threw off his own covers and began to rise off his futon. Pain went threw his body, but he ignored it. 'I have to find Naomi.'

With each step he took, an enormous amount of pain coursed through his body. All these thoughts were pushed aside and only one thought remained. 'I must find and protect Naomi.' Nothing else mattered.

He found Sóra asleep on the couch as he went to the back door. Sliding it open silently, he went out to the only place he knew she would be. Sure enough, when he got to the hill, she was sitting there but near a tree as if for support. The light breeze pushed her dark hair back away from her face, letting the moon to shine down on it. He let loose his breath knowing she was alright and safe. Without anymore thoughts, he walked over to her, standing above her. "You should be in bed."

Naomi only looked up at him with a bit of sadness in her eyes as well as relief. "As should you, Kurama. Are you alright? How are your wounds?" Weakness was apparently on her face from her battle with the poison. It amazed him she was able to sit up at all, let alone walk. How had she made out here in the first place anyway?

Sitting down beside her, but leaning against the tree, he looked at her. "These are nothing. Don't worry about it. What concerns me is how you are doing."

Her gaze returned to the village below. A mixture of emotions played in her eyes. "I'm fine. You needn't worry." He sat there and just looked at her, guilt coursing through him. 'It's my fault she got hurt. She could have been killed all because of me.'

His eyes took on a look of sorrow and deep thoughtfulness. 'Maybe it would be better for her if I didn't stay here.' This thought sent a wave of sadness throughout him. 'She wouldn't be constantly attacked if it wasn't for me. The demon made that clear.'

_~Flashback~_

_The demon let loose a laugh, causing his anger to rise. "You really think you can protect her all the time? We all know now. A world famous demon let his heart be taken by a miko. Now we know your weakness. She'll never be safe. As long as you love her, the bitch will be a constant target."_

_~End Flashback~_

He sighed. 'It is true. As long as I am with her, they will not stop.' He chose not to dwell on the part that demon said about love. 'I don't know about that.' Sadness consumed him as he turned to sneak a peek at the beautiful young woman beside him. She looked so much weaker than he could bear. 'She should never look like this. It's my fault. I have to leave, for her sake.' 

Shaking his head, he looked away from her. "I'm sorry, Naomi. I shall leave in the morning."

The miko quickly turned her head to look at him, eyes wide in shock. "Wh…What?"

He couldn't look at her. It hurt too much to have to say what needed to be said. A slight breeze flew by, tossing their hair back, allowing him to see her fully, but he dared not look. If he looked over now, he'd see her beautiful face and violet eyes he would get lost in. No, this needed to be done… for her sake.

Lowering his eyes and having them almost closed, he continued. "I will leave in the morning. The longer I stay here, the more demons will come to attack. The only reason you got hurt so bad, almost killed, was because of me. I do not wish for that to happen again. This world is set on me not being here with you. They prove this by doing the one thing that would cause me great pain… they go after your life. It would be wiser for me to leave so you could live your life. No one wants me to be here, neither demon nor human." This hurt him more than anyone could ever imagine, more than _he_ could imagine. 'I have to do this, for her sake.'

"But I want you here." It was barely a whisper, but loud enough for his fox ears to hear. His eyes snapped open wide as he turned to look at her. Naomi's eyes were downcast, refusing to look at him.

"I don't care what happens, Kurama. I am a miko and as such expect to be attacked by demons. I don't worry about that at all. They've attacked before and I'm still here. But you… You would be out on your own and who knows what could happen. You could even be killed. I would never forgive myself if that happened, especially if it was to somehow protect me. Please, don't leave Kurama. I don't want you to leave me."

Had he heard right? Could she possibly be feeling the same emotions he had for her? 'She doesn't want me to leave… to leave _her_.' As much as he wanted to stay, he knew better. 'They won't stop.' He looked at her with soft eyes. "Naomi, if I stay, they won't stop until you are dead. It would be their revenge on me."

"I don't care, Kurama! I know they will come. If you're here, I know you'll do your best to protect me. I have faith in you. I would also know you're safe. I don't know what I'd do if you were seriously hurt or… or…" She could not finish her sentence for tears began to fall from her eyes. She turned her head away from him, ashamed of the tears and her display of emotions.

His heart broke seeing her tears. 'She is shedding tears… for me.' A warm feeling overcame him as his eyes softened. A thought came into his mind and he chose to act upon it. Reaching up, he cupped her face with his hand, bringing her to face him quickly. As soon as they were face to face, he wasted no time pressing his lips against hers in an emotion filled, sweet kiss. He could tell she was shocked at first, but to his surprise, she returned it with an equal amount of passion.

His heart was jumping around in his chest as he continued in pure bliss. Everything was forgotten at that one moment in time. They were not a demon and a miko. They were a man and a woman sharing a beautiful kiss together, truly sharing each others' feelings for really the first time. Nothing else mattered. Nothing in the world could take away this one moment that they would treasure forever.

He eventually broke the kiss and looked deep into her violet eyes. There was a spark in them like there was not too long ago. They were filled with this emotion he could not name, but didn't need to. He knew his eyes held the same thing. Still cupping her face, he smiled at her. "Don't worry, Naomi. I'm not going anywhere. I won't leave your side."

Her smile made his heart leap once again as she put her arms around him in a hug. His arms quickly went around her as well, bringing Naomi closer to him in a, what had to be called, loving way. He never wanted to let her go, especially after this night.

'Now I know it is true. I do love you, Naomi.'

~*~Awwww! Gotta love the fluff. So kawaii. This is the last chapter I have already written. Now you might have to wait even longer for the next one. Gomen. Ja ne!~*~


	24. Chapter 24 Finally!

--I'm very sorry for the extremely long wait, but I have had no inspiration for this story in a long time. Sorry. I have some ideas again, but not many. Let's see what I can type out for you today.--  
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As the sunlight entered the room, the emerald eyed man blinked as he awoke to the new day. Stretching out his back, he rose off his futon and walked over to the kitchen. To his surprise, Kurama found Naomi already awake and at work on their breakfast. "May I assist you in any way?"

With a small gasp, she turned to him. "Kurama, good morning. I didn't realize you were awake yet."

"I'm sorry if I startled you. I had no intention of doing so."

With a wave of her hand, she smiled at him. "It's quite alright. I sometimes forget I have other people on the shrine grounds besides myself."

At that moment, there was a knock on Naomi's kitchen door. Both turned to look at it as she walked over and opened the door for whoever was there. "Hai?"

"Naomi-sama, I have word from Natas."

Nodding her head, she moved aside. "Come on in, Kaiyo. We were just about to have something to eat. Would you care to join us?"

The man with raven hair and blue-green eyes entered the kitchen, smiling at the young miko. "I don't have too long, since I have to hunt down the other teams, but I also brought these for you, Naomi-sama." From behind his back, Kaiyo pulled out three red roses, handing them to her with a slight blush on his face.

Naomi looked at him with wide eyes. "Oh, Kye, they're beautiful. Are they from your garden?"

"Hai, but they look nothing more than weeds compared to you." The man looked away from her, his blush increasing.

As the miko smiled at him, Kurama stood there less than pleased. 'It appears I am not the only one to notice Naomi. This will make things difficult if he has already altered her heart.' Clearing his throat, Kurama gained Naomi and the man's attention.

"Oh! Forgive me. Kaiyo, this is Kurama, one of the fighters staying here… and a friend of mine."

Kurama smiled at that, seeing the man looking a little upset. "I didn't realize you befriended one of _them_."

Naomi glared at him. "Don't say things like that. It makes you sound ignorant. Every fighter still has a spirit, soul and heart. That's all I need to know."

Shaking his head, Kaiyo sighed. "I don't know why you bother. Every time you befriend one of them, they end up dying anyway. It's better to keep yourself unattached than to be depressed when they die in front of your eyes."

A small smile graced her lips. "I don't expect you to understand my logic, but something's telling me I'm supposed to be looking for someone. It's as if I'm supposed to find my other half, that a part of myself is missing because this person is gone. I don't know why this is. I mean I don't remember anyone from home that I long for, but I know I've met them back there." Shaking her head, she turned to look at the both of them. "I'm sorry. Sometimes I just speak my thoughts a little too well, confusing others."

The red haired fox demon shook his head slightly, trying to hold back a wide smile. "Do not apologize for speaking your thoughts. You might one day find your answers that way."

Kye gave a quick glare at the other male before stepping forward a bit, seemingly to prove he was closer to the miko than Kurama. "Before I forget, Naomi-sama, Natas sent me to inform the fighters the first round will begin today at noon."

Naomi looked at him wide eyed. "That doesn't give us much time at all! It's nearly nine now. Did he give the location this time?"

Shaking his head, he continued, "The location shall be shown when all of them meet in the center of the village."

"That is a bit strange, but Natas always did have strange tastes. Alright, I'll have them all there at noon. You don't happen to know the order, do you?"

"As far as I know, he's letting the teams decide who goes when."

"Like the Dark Tournament?" Both Naomi and Kaiyo looked at Kurama in slight confusion.

"You know of the Dark Tournament?" the miko asked in an unsure voice.

"My team and I participated in it."

Blinking in surprise, Naomi looked confused. "How can that be?" Shaking her head, she turned back to her friend. "Sorry, Kye. I'm afraid I've kept you too long. I believe all the other fighters are staying at the Inn."

"Arigatou, Naomi-sama. I'll see you at noon." With a slight wave, he glared at our favorite fox demon before heading out into the village.

Closing the door, Naomi turned towards him. "We must wake everyone up and let them know what's going on." He only nodded his head as Kurama headed towards Yusuke and Kuwabara's room while she went to wake up Botan. When the miko came back into the living room, Hiei was sitting on the couch, arms crossed over his chest, eyes closed and one leg crossed over the other. She smiled. "I'm going to assume you heard everything and know what's going on."

The demon opened his eyes and glared at the floor before letting out a small "keh". The miko just smiled, which annoyed the hell out of him. Looking out of the corner of his eye, he questioned, "What are you smirking at?"

"Apparently nothing."

Finally turning towards her, Hiei narrowed his eyes. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

Sitting beside him, which also aggravated the demon, Naomi sighed. "Well, since I was, as you say, smirking at you, obviously I'm saying you're nothing."

Openly glaring at this… female, Hiei responded coldly, "You are in no position to talk, miko."

"Back to the formalities? Sorry to disappoint you, Hiei, but I'm stronger than you give me credit for."

Raising one eyebrow, he snorted. "What, going to sick your pathetic boyfriend on me?"

Confusion over took her features, but was replaced with a small smile. "So you heard more than I thought. For your information, though it is none of your business, Kye is just a friend of mine in the village. He was one of the first people I met here."

On that note, Kurama entered the room right as she told Hiei her answer, causing a small smile to appear on his face. 'So he isn't with her. That still gives me a chance to make her remember.'

"Kurama? You alright? You look a little dazed."

Shaking his head, the said demon walked over to where the miko sat. "I'm fine. Just thinking…"

A look of understanding entered her eyes as she let the matter go. "I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me into the forest. Since the first battles are today, I figured I better stock up on my herbs. I have a feeling there will be a lot of injuries to tend to."

"I would be honored to accompany you."

After a few seconds of Kurama just looking into her eyes, Hiei had had enough. "Hmph. I would gag at this _touching_ moment, but it would be a waste of precise energy."

"I'm surprised you even know what a touching moment is, Hiei, since you have the emotional capacity of a rock." Before he could give a response, she turned to the fox demon with a smile on her face. "Let's be off then. We only have so much time and I can't just waste it standing here exchanging insults with this pathetic excuse for a demon." Grabbing his hand, Naomi pulled a wide eyed Kurama towards the door. As she was walking, she called over her shoulder to the fuming black haired man, "Hiei, be a dear and let the others know there's some breakfast in the kitchen. That's a good boy. Buh bye."

With that, the two left the home, leaving Hiei to plot just how many ways he would love to kill the miko.

_-Flashback -_

**_(A/N: If you have not seen the 2nd Yu Yu Hakusho movie, none of this will make any sense. CONTAINS SPOILERS!!! For those that have seen it, pay attention to the small changes towards the end. This is about two weeks after Kurama left the shrine.)_**

_Stepping out of the elevator shaft, Kurama looked around, determined to finish this unsettled business. 'I thought Kuronue died all those years ago. I don't remember betraying him, but trying to save him instead. I can't just stand by and watch him try to destroy the human world like this. All the people… Naomi…'_

_Looking out into the fog, Kurama stood guard as a boat whistle sound blew in the air. 'He's close. I can feel it.' He started to walk a bit when a familiar voice broke through the mist._

_"You are truly despicable." Kurama stopped and looked behind him as his partner twirled his pendant around his hand. "In the past, you fled and left me to die. Now, you are trying to destroy our dream, my old friend." Kuronue threw his scythe at the fox demon, which he drop out of the way of. _

_Standing with a comfortable distance between them, the fox demon tried to talk to his old partner. "Kuronue, it is true I could not rescue you that day, but please believe this. I- I tried, I really tried."_

_"Silence!"__ Through the mist which had engulfed the other demon, four other scythes came whirling at him. Jumping and flipping out of the way caused Kurama's previous wound to reopen once again, blood spreading through his clothing. Wincing in pain, another scythe came for him. "Don't do this." Reaching behind his neck, he pulled out a rose. "Rose whip." He deflected the attack, but his wound was still severe._

_An amused laugh came through the fog. "What's wrong? You're not fighting back." _

_Kurama fell to his knees as the pain coursed through him. "Kuronue, what you are trying to do now is wrong."_

_This angered the other demon. "You say it's wrong? How dare you say that?" Pulling back his weapon, he hid in the mist once again."_

_Kurama looked around. "Listen to me, Kuronue"._

_The demon came from above, directly over our fox demon. "Shut your mouth!" Using his scythe, he slashed into Kurama's right side as he tried to defend himself, drawing a fair amount of blood and sending the red haired demon back._

_"You still haven't remembered, have you?" Kuronue step before the fallen male. He began to swing his pendant back and forth for Kurama to see. "You left me." He continued swinging the pendant as our fox demon clutched his side in pain. "You trader. Trader. Trader. Trader… TRADER!!"_

_Another scythe hit him right above his left leg, cutting him deeply. "Ahh." Kurama fell back at the attack. As he was trying to rise to his feet, his old partner stood not far away. "Now, you can make up for your ugly past."_

_"I-I didn't…"_

_Still twirling the pendant, he laughed a bit. "What's wrong? Are you going to try and kill me so as to save yourself again?" The demon laughed once again at the fallen ex-thief._

_Struggling to stand, Kurama glared at him. 'No, you're wrong. That time, your pendant…"_

_Catching the pendant in his hand, the demon continued. "With this scythe, I will now cleanse your pathetic soul." With that, he threw the pendant at the fox demon._

_Startled, Kurama's eyes went wide. "What's this?"_

_That's when it hit him. 'This is all wrong. It's an illusion, a fake. The pendant…I gave it to…'A vision of Naomi's face appeared in his mind at that moment. 'That's right…How had I forgotten in all of this?'_

_The demon held two scythes in his hands, preparing himself to attack. "Now, I finish you." With that, the mist overtook him again, giving him the element of surprise._

_Kurama stayed in his crouched position, supporting himself with one knee on the ground. Reaching behind his hair, he pulled out a twig with leaves on it. "Kuronue, please give me strength." He waited until he could tell where the demon would attack._

_From above and behind, it came down, ready to attack the so called oblivious victim.__ "Now die."_

_In a gasp of pain, he dropped his scythe to the ground, a sword going through him from the smaller demon below. "You… you…"_

_"The one with the ugly, rotten soul is you! You are not my old friend Kuronue!" Kurama turned to face this fraud as he took out his sword. "Show me your true form!"_

_Gasping in pain, the creature transformed from the familiar face of a fallen partner to a hideous monster. "How did you discover my trick?"_

_Picking himself up, Kurama faced this creature. "I could tell. First off, Kuronue always carried this pendant with him. He would never just throw it away. Once more, no matter what the circumstances, he would never attack an enemy from the rear." Anger swelled up all around him as he appeared to be engulfed in a yellow flame. The enemy threw his scythe at him one more time, just missing as Kurama advanced. "Kuronue risked his own life telling me to run away. You twisted my memories of our friendship!"_

_With full out anger coursing through him, Kurama let out a cry as he released his power, killing the demon as bamboo shoots shot up from the ground. With a final cry, the demon died in a blazing light from above a now somewhat forest. _

_Kurama stood there, letting the leaves fall all around him. 'Besides, about two weeks ago, I gave that pendant to someone special. There's no way he could have had it if I kept it all these years.'_

_"So even someone as calm as you occasionally gets angry. Hmm…that's good to know." Hiei walked over to his friend through the mist and trees. _

_The red haired demon looked at him before turning his eyes to the ground. "Not being able to rescue Kuronue that day…"_

_"Kurama," the said demon looked over at his friend. "There is no one who does not carry scars on his heart. If there were someone in the world like that, he would be a shallow soul." With that said, Hiei walked away, back towards his teammates. _

_Yusuke stood there with Kuwabara and Hinageshi as Hiei just kept walking. The black haired human nodded at him. "Let's go."_

_"Yes," Kurama said with determination. 'The sooner we end this, the sooner I can go back to her, the one that takes over my thoughts. It is for her that I fight, to protect her. Naomi…'_

_-End Flashback-_

"Kurama? Are you alright?"

The said demon shook his head to clear his mind. "Sorry."

The miko's eyes softened as she looked at him. "Remembering things again?" When he nodded, she sighed. "I'm so sorry Natas has done such a horrible thing to you. From what I know thus far, you do not deserve any of this. I hope you get what you have lost back."

Looking into her sympathetic violet eyes, Kurama nodded. "As do I."

"I'll do all I can to help, but there's only so much I can do."

"I know and I thank you for that. Just being with you is helpful."

Naomi blushed slightly at that comment, moving deeper into the forest to cover up this fact. He followed her as they continued their search for necessary herbs. A certain plant caught his eye. "Over here. There's one you over looked." Waiting until she came to stand beside him, Kurama pulled it up and handed it to her to examine.

"I do not recognize this one. What does it do?"

With a soft smile, he placed his hand on top of the herb, thus on top of hers. "I have used this plant twice in order to create a paste or coating medicine. It is used for severe wounds you would not expect to become infected, but come from a certain type of demon's slashes. Their claws hold some kind of poison and once in the blood, can become very dangerous."

As their hands touched, a bit of pink graced her cheeks. Naomi kept her head to the side so he could not see, but it was in vain. Suddenly, she reached up with her other hand and placed it on her forehead, groaning a bit. Panicked, Kurama took hold of both her shoulders. "Naomi, are you alright?"

Moving her hand away after a moment, the miko nodded. "I'm fine. Just a small headache, I think. It's gone now."

Shaking his head, Kurama stood, bringing her to rise to her feet as well. "Regardless, I think we should head back to the shrine now. There's no telling what those guys will do when left alone for a long period of time."

"Hai. Thank you again for coming with me. I don't think I would have found as many herbs without you."

Raising one eyebrow, he looked at her as they walked back toward the shrine. "How did you know I was good with healing plants and herbs?"

She paused a moment before answering. "I actually don't know. Instinct I guess."

"Right." Without anymore questions, the two headed back, a large collection of herbs in hand. Both were deep in thoughts and dared not to disrupt each other. 'If what I think is true, every familiar thing we do together from the past will spark something from her memory. If this is the case, it may not be as hopeless as I thought.'

However, the young miko's thoughts were different. 'What was that I felt in the forest? My heart seemed to skip a beat when he covered my hand with his own. It was as if… But if this is so, who is this silver haired demon who's face I cannot see? And why does my heart long to see him?'

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And thus, the problems continue to arise. It seems Naomi's memory might be coming back, but which one? Kurama can't catch a break, can he? Sorry to those who have not seen the 2nd movie, thus not understanding the flashback. Remember, Kurama went back home for a reason. This was the new mission he had to go on. Leave a review if you are confused, or just to tell me your honest opinion on this one. Sorry it's been so long! Hopefully I'm back for awhile, though things aren't going well. I'll try! And sorry about the stupid -- things. FF.net won't let me save my usual symbols. Ja ne!!!


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